To think there’ll be a lot of new home educators?

[Wildflowersbytheroad]

Just saw article in the news which said 9/10 parents are planning to send their kids back to school... so 10% of parents are not? This is a lot of people! Parents will be fined if they don’t deregister, so AIBU to think there’ll be a lot of people now home educating longer term?

@rosiejaune that’s interesting, I like exploring alternative methods of education. In many respects I love the concept because I feel formal education starts so early in this country and many children just aren’t ready, yet if it was a year or two later they would have the ability to grasp new concepts better.

The bit that makes me nervous to do it is the subject knowledge as they get older and may need a more formal approach - I struggled enough with science gcse for example and would have no idea what I’m talking about passing that on. Do you plan to homeschool all the way through? You can tell me if I’m being nosy! My friend is homeschooling from September (this has always been her plan anyway, she never applied for a school place for her DD) but she intends to send her to school at some point, though she’s not sure when. She thinks definitely not before Year 3 as she wants a play based approach, but by Year 9 in preparation for the exams - it’s an interesting discussion.

I do love the idea of teaching through life! I also know some children love the formalities of structures lessons.

I don't think it will be 10%. I think some of the 10% may not have their children start on day one, perhaps waiting to see/hear the changes for social non-distancing in schools are there.

I cannot see many fines being imposed for absence in the first week or two though.

[quote bananaskinsnomnom]@rosiejaune that’s interesting, I like exploring alternative methods of education. In many respects I love the concept because I feel formal education starts so early in this country and many children just aren’t ready, yet if it was a year or two later they would have the ability to grasp new concepts better.

The bit that makes me nervous to do it is the subject knowledge as they get older and may need a more formal approach - I struggled enough with science gcse for example and would have no idea what I’m talking about passing that on. Do you plan to homeschool all the way through? You can tell me if I’m being nosy! My friend is homeschooling from September (this has always been her plan anyway, she never applied for a school place for her DD) but she intends to send her to school at some point, though she’s not sure when. She thinks definitely not before Year 3 as she wants a play based approach, but by Year 9 in preparation for the exams - it’s an interesting discussion.

I do love the idea of teaching through life! I also know some children love the formalities of structures lessons.[/quote]
A lot of home ed children go to college at 14 to do some GCSEs. They still count as home educated, they are just doing some qualifications there. But there's no need to do e.g. 9 of them like children in school do; some just do English and maths. Or various other courses; some academic, some vocational.

Or you can also take iGCSEs, or sit GCSEs at a school as an external candidate. There's no inherent requirement for any qualifications though.

If they want to go to uni they can do an Access course.

And yes I never intended to send my daughter to school. And now I know her, I know she wouldn't want to go anyway. Will see what she wants to do when she's a teenager with regard to courses, but she has plenty of time before that (she's 9).

Most of the pods that US friends are setting up let the children interact face to face in someone's home. The 5 families all agree to be a "bubble" and not socialise outside it. The hired teacher does a few hours of academics interspersed with crafts and games outside. But it is an option only available to those with the resource to pay the teacher. Still masses cheaper than private school.

@BilbyBlue this sounds like a sensible solution and something people in the UK might have to resort to if there are further lockdowns here, only available to the privileged few though

@rosiejaune - the play based non structured thing sounds all very lovely and I’m sure it would be fine when children are young. But they’re not going to learn how to calculate with fractions or trigonometry using this approach I wouldn’t have thought. Not very important in the real world, but most jobs require at least an english and maths GCSE and if they want to go to uni significantly more in the way of qualifications. I understand some children may start school at 14, but presumably they must have done some formal learning at home to allow this to happen? Otherwise they’d never be able to do GCSEs in their teenage years as they’d be miles behind their peers (in formal stuff, maths especially - I accept they may well be ahead in many things). Not meaning to be goady, just interested to know how long a non-structured, play based, no formal learning approach can realistically last without hindering life chances later on...

I don’t think there will be any significant increase in the number of children doing home learning long term. I agree a few may stay off a little longer, but most will be back by Christmas. My school opened to everyone for the last few weeks in June/July (small classes at a private school so keeping under 15 wasn’t a problem) and by the final week only max 1 or 2 from each class were off still. Each class returned with fewer children, then after a week or so of being back more and more started to come in. I expect the same will happen in most schools from September.

[quote modgepodge]@rosiejaune - the play based non structured thing sounds all very lovely and I’m sure it would be fine when children are young. But they’re not going to learn how to calculate with fractions or trigonometry using this approach I wouldn’t have thought. Not very important in the real world, but most jobs require at least an english and maths GCSE and if they want to go to uni significantly more in the way of qualifications. I understand some children may start school at 14, but presumably they must have done some formal learning at home to allow this to happen? Otherwise they’d never be able to do GCSEs in their teenage years as they’d be miles behind their peers (in formal stuff, maths especially - I accept they may well be ahead in many things). Not meaning to be goady, just interested to know how long a non-structured, play based, no formal learning approach can realistically last without hindering life chances later on...

I don’t think there will be any significant increase in the number of children doing home learning long term. I agree a few may stay off a little longer, but most will be back by Christmas. My school opened to everyone for the last few weeks in June/July (small classes at a private school so keeping under 15 wasn’t a problem) and by the final week only max 1 or 2 from each class were off still. Each class returned with fewer children, then after a week or so of being back more and more started to come in. I expect the same will happen in most schools from September.[/quote]
As I've said, there are various options to take English & maths GCSE. And no, they don't have to have formally learned anything first, though they could, of course.

I didn't explicitly teach my daughter how to read. Yet she can. She can also calculate (including with basic fractions) from her understanding of real life (e.g. via baking). In fact she has a much better intuitive understanding of maths than I do, and I got an A* in my maths GCSE. When she does come to do formal learning she will pick it up from what you would perceive as a lower base, but it isn't; it's just a different base.

I've got friends with grown up children who were raised this way and they're adulting fine. So even if I didn't have faith in the process, I have examples to look at.

Can't see how it would work unless parents give up work. Also everyone has been complaining how hard "home schooling" has been it'll be even harder if parents have to lesson plan and teach themselves.
I think parents will say it but reckon they'll still send their children back in September.