Home Educators - I need your collective experience

[BantyCustards]

I'm in court in 2 weeks for a final hearing - my ex-partner is trying to force my pre-schooler into school.

Would you follow the link and give me your advice?

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/home_ed/2795108-Ex-partner-taking-me-to-court-WRT-HE?watched=1

Interesting situation.

Assuming father has good contact then your actually asking to have a significantly increased influence and contact over DC, than the other parent. Can you prove that you will address this?

Have you discussed what views your going to be teaching your DC and does ex agree with them all. Are you of the same religion, culture? Do you have the same priorities in academic areas or exams? If you haven't got agreement in all these areas can you prove how you will address this?

Would you agree to let your ex home school for half the time if he wanted and if not why not?

Halo - income is sorted for the next few years.

Supper - time spent with me as opposed to him seems pretty irrelevant. It's about what is best for our DC.

Ex and I had pretty much the same views with a few differences - he already knows my approach is very much about having the full information to come to a personal conclusion. I'm in no way a radical religious type or a communist or anything like that.

We come from the same culture and neither of us have a designated religion that we practise.

If he wanted to home ed 50% of the time I'd be fine with it but since I'be been DC's constant and there are no concerns with the relevant authorities it's already been recommended that the status quo continues.

I think the mere fact that his opinion has changed wojld give anyone the impression that this is more about getting at you than their welfare.

I think you need to approach this from the angle that HE would is the norm in your household. So what is it about this particular child that makes him think that the norm doesn't apply?

Wits

You've pretty much hit the nail on the head (much more to the story than a simple parting of ways)

However 'he's just being belligerent' isn't going to work with a judge, unfortunately.

As far as I am aware your ex has the same say about home ed as he would about chouce of primary school or term of entry into primary school. Home ed is (supposed to be) considered to be an equally valid educational choice (it certainly is so in the law anyway, it just depends whether your judge is aware of this).

If you can show that you have "home schooled" instead of preschooled I would imagine that would go in your favour.

Family decision to home ed first child (evidenced by the fact that she has been home ed til now) suggests that your ex is being a pain rather than having your preschoolers best interests at heart.

The fact that your eldest is registered with the LA and gets "signed off" annually would benefit your case as it is accepted as proof that the education you are providing is satisfactory.

I would imagine if they have little understanding of home ed, information about the breadth of education and social opportunities that that you do and will provide would appeal to the judge

How did you get on ?

I can't get the link to work either, so really don't know the details.

I am unintentionally home ed ing, children with disabilities who fell apart when mainstream wouldn't accomedate them. Now trying to slowly integrate into a much much better (although worse according to ofsted) school with a fantastic approach.

Surely the rule of thumb would be the resident parent, or the parent doing the caring day to day gets the say- the same way you would with a preschooler- so your choice whether you attend toddler groups or go to the park or use tv etc is up to the person watching the kid then, same way resident parent has no say when non resident parent takes the kid out with new gf etc.

But I don't see why you couldn't look for a middle ground when dealing with a little kid. Curiculum isn't really much other than playing & a bit of structure & phonics etc at reception age. I have done and am now again doing part time (yr 2 cyrrently) and it works just fine. I am very boring pressure with academic stuff and school are find with this (although part of that is all our professionals involved support this). We got swimming/horse riding/forest school/park/libary around school hours and pay a tutor for one hour a week also. Other than reading lots and providing lots prewriting activities and talking about numbers in general we just concentrate on having fun and managing their disabilities.

Good luck sorting it out