Refusing to homeschool

[SonicTheSorryRabbit]

Curious about this...

How many parents have simply decided that they're not doing homeschooling? Either because they're wfh and can't balance that with homeschooling or because it's too much for their kids and making them miserable?

If you're not homeschooling, (i) are you getting a hard time from the school?; and (ii) what are your kids doing instead?

YABU - we're homeschooling.

YANBU - we never started/we've given up.

YABU but I can see how parents would struggle. Some of the work my yr6 DS has goes right over my head. Luckily tho he's quite bright and gets on with it mostly himself with only a little helo from me.
My Yr 3 DS is a lot easier but I have a daily battle to get him motivated.
Weve been going our for a daily walk and I am trying my best.
This whole thing sucks on a whole new level of sucking. I hope it ends soon.

At my school refusing to homeschool is being classed as neglect.
Lack of daily engagement results in an absent mark and threats of the EWO have begun.

But it's a totally empty threat. Unless you've got other concerns to support your referral all the EWO is call me up, ask why we aren't engaging with the home learning and tell us we should try a bit more (if that). If the child usually has good attendance and you don't have other safeguarding concerns outside of lockdown they'll do the bare minimum.

@Leonberger

Surely we are all working around this. The vast majority of people are still working and all in the same boat.

Just fit it in when you can surely. After work, before work, weekends...it does not need to be done 9-3.

I’ve seen so many parents in my child’s school moaning about working and having do homeschool. So are most of the country at the moment, nobody is having an easy time

It does depend on the school a bit. A friends school is issuing work for the day at 9am and instructing that it must be completed between 9am and 4.30pm and submitted to the school at 4.30. They say that "the children need a work life balance too so work should not be completed outside of these core hours".

For a lot of working parents that's impossible because as you say, it often fits better before work, after work or at the weekends.

Some schools are being fantastically supportive. Others seem to think parents have no commitments outside of doing whatever the school deems appropriate.

I’m trying so hard to keep the plates spinning but my God, this is so hard. All I seem to be hearing is friends who don’t work telling me they’re struggling or they’re giving up...

My kids are 10 and 8, but neither are able to work independently, they need my reassurance and often for me to give context, explain things and cheer them along the way. There are NO live lessons, just new files uploaded every day of what they should be learning which is great but also adds to the pressure as I’m scared of us falling behind. I’m also working all the hours God sends to keep our business going. As well as the home learning, I’m also struggling to balance a demanding, stressful job with the demands of 24/7 parenting - listening, talking, hugs, refereeing, dealing with upset and worry, cooking...

So many of us are fighting the toughest battle right now - hearing about those who can’t be arsed just makes my blood boil...

I'd like to clarify... all the way through this thread I've made it very clear that I fully empathise with everyone trying to juggle homeschooling. I'm doing it myself. Probably badly

I have only passed on what I've been told. True or not, I'm really not trying to scaremonger. My first response which people have quoted was from a poster who said they weren't going to bother... not an anxious parent! Ever since then I've posted ideas and given advice and guidance.

I disagree with the notion that anyone should be penalised but not once did I mention any fines. I've no idea what may or may not happen. And from what I can gather, 'good enough' engagement is absolutely fine. Not every piece of learning needs to be handed in. Just to know parents are trying is absolutely fine in our book.

It's the parent who refuses point blank to engage and hangs up the phone when we call who will probably be chased up. And not by me! I've enough on my plate.

Trying not to get political, but surely what is missing here is the strength of messages to employers to allow staff to go on furlough if they need to (/can). There is still a furlough scheme for many but definitely not the pus as we had last year to ‘look after our families’. The call is ‘work from home and your kids will be next to you’ which is going to lead to domestic stress, confused kids and jobs half done. Arsehole government!

I work in social care, we have over half our staff off due to covid related issues, either isolating or they actually have it. I saw my daughter for the first time today (Wednesday) since Saturday night except the 15 minutes in the morning when I wake her up for school. I’ve been starting at 7am and finishing at 10 pm. I finished at 2 today, did the food shop, picked her up from school and then slept as I was doing a night shift from 10pm through til 9am Thursday, I’ll sleep half of Thursday and Friday I have a cleaning job and am back at work 7 am Saturday and again Sunday. Last lockdown she stayed at home, I knew she wouldn’t engage and I was right, she was up all night and sleeping all day and I was at work similar to now. I’m a single parent. This time I have sent her to school as the provision is available for her because she will engage at school. It’s working thank goodness because there’s not a hope in hell of me being able to home school

There’s been some posts about parents being threatened with ewo if children don’t engage with home learning. There’s a significant number of kids that won’t always engage in school either but if parents have got them into school then they’ve done their bit legally. Mine has asd and now he is in Specialist but back when he in mainstream some days he spent all day in the senco’s room and did no learning. If I’d been having to home school then there’s no way I’d have got him to do all the work set for the class and I don’t think it would be fair for school to penalise. I know people will say things don’t apply to sen kids but there was a time before mine was diagnosed and put on the sen register when he wouldn’t have been classed as sen just naughty. So guess what I’m trying to say that I don’t think it’s fair to penalise parents for not being able to do something that the school can’t do either in normal times.

Mines in school this time but last lockdown he wouldn’t engage in the work. School were relaxed, he did reading and we uploaded pics of us playing games like battleships, sports in the garden etc which they seemed to be happy with. This time for the kids not in school the home learning seems to have ramped up a gear so I can see why some people are struggling.

I haven’t read the full thread sorry but I got as far as the consequences side from the government...
I am doing what I can, this might be putting them on the online sessions but I haven’t done all of the work with the children as to be honest my mental health and capacity has not been great because of trying to balance the pressures of my job with yr 1 and 4 primary age children at home full time. I work for a medical nutrition & equipment company and I directly work with heads of service dietetics in the NHS - and last week involved trying to help alleviate some of the challenges they are facing by additional supply of feeding pumps plus I have regular calls with the trusts so in the current situation they are high priority. I have a key worker letter but my kids school want both parents to have status. Hubby works out of the home and cannot change this as he works in manufacturing.
I have been honest with the school and explained that I can only do so much. They understand the situation and have said that the kids feeling happy and safe is more important and not to put pressure on myself.

For the government to suggest there will be consequences is pretty awful, we are not super human. There are a lot of parents out there who work full time and actually the 2 days off they need to recharge and spend quality time with their children.

People can ask to be furloughed if they can't work from home and home school. Whatever job you do - if teaching your kids is stopping you from doing your job you are entitled to be put on furlough. It was on Steph's packed lunch yesterday and the official guidelines say teaching your children is reason to be furlough if it seriously impacts your ability to do your job.

Hey thanks for this, we’re both very reluctant to go down this last given that the hcps actually need my support and at the moment the last thing I want to do is leave them any more under pressure. Additionally where my husband works, the staff that were furloughed were sadly made redundant - not because they requested furlough - the downturn in business as a result of covid was the reason , but it’s in our minds very much so that being on furlough you can become forgotten. Neither myself or my husband can afford to be made redundant.

The government and school are expecting parents to work and provide education. This wouldn't work in my house as it is to small. Im not an education provider this is a skilled professional job im a mum and a full time Occupational Therapist. I don't have the type of child who is self sufficient enough to do the work. He needs constant support due his pretty shitty start in life. Luckily he is in school. The last thing parents need right now is added pressure of court proceedings.

It is making us all a bit miserable! I’d rather home-school by taking child out formally if this carries on much longer- just making sure he understands the concepts of things and some days submitting the bare minimum to reduce the list each day- our teachers understand that the dynamic can be very different with parents or away from the school environment

We're non-Covid homeschoolers and I cannot fathom how Covid-homeschoolers are managing this.

From the outside it looks immensely stressful trying to replicate a 9-3 (or whatever hours) school environment at home, with no field trips or other kids to play with.

Fwiw I have a 9 year old and we've just recently started a slightly more structured approach to learning; e.g. sitting down to work on foundational maths exercises or reading as a formal part of our day rather than in a haphazard way. This structured learning is finished in about 45 - 60 minutes, sometimes spread over 2 or 3 sessions of 20 minutes each. He is either at or above the expected requirements for his age, and he's not especially bright, it just doesn't take that long when it's one-to-one.

While I fully appreciate that we're enormously privileged to be able to go with the mood of the day I honestly cannot understand why schools, parents, and kids are being forced into distance learning that seems to achieve nothing but pain.

Dutch1e I home schooled mine for 5 years and I understand what you are saying. I think the problem is that people are generally more familiar with the school system and they want to replicate it.

I did think last March that they needed to get some home school experts involved because as you say 1 to 1 is very different to a classroom situation.

I work in a school and apparently there are lots of students not engaging at home so they are coming into their YR bubble thick and fast, especially the younger ones. Don't worry though the teachers are protected and at home, its the support staff that are in supporting them in school ! Obviously we're immune to any variant of covid !

@ancientgran I did think last March that they needed to get some home school experts involved because as you say 1 to 1 is very different to a classroom situation.

This would have been so sensible. It still could be, I hope that kind of consultation happens.

@bemusedmoose how does that effect people that are self employed? I know if I don't work as I am self employed I can't pay the bills.

People can ask to be furloughed if they can't work from home and home school.

Can ask, can be refused. It isn't a right. I don't know anyone being furloughed currently, despite having requested it.

@Dutch1e
It IS immensely stressful.
I have a Y9 and a Y11. Both have ASD & Dyslexia.
both were doing badly and having a bad time at school.
I had hoped that HE would be a better option
but they need the structure of School - home is home and school is school to them, plus the Y11 is frantic about 'sticking to the curriculum' in his exam year. BUT...
All school are doing is sending reams of work. No online lessons at all. So it's new material, no explainations, maybe a link to a Youtube vid at best, tough luck if you don't understand. Emails coming through between 7am and 10pm (automated) with lists of 'work outstanding' - maybe 12 per day on average. He cannot cope at all.

I'm not sure maybe I'm a sheep but do we have any other option rather than homeschooling?

School won't take them. I want them to keep being educated.

Do you mean just forgetting about schooling them?

@MrsNWT

I'm not sure maybe I'm a sheep but do we have any other option rather than homeschooling?

School won't take them. I want them to keep being educated.

Do you mean just forgetting about schooling them?

I think OP was more thinking is there anyone not doing the work set by school.

We aren't but mine are lower primary so I don't feel it is as necessary. We are doing some education, but not the stuff from school.

Yabu to not bother at all. The standard 9-3 might not work for everyone but we can all find some time to make some effort.
I have one in secondary doing lessons in real time, its hard work, he needs my help a lot!
Then one in primary who can do her work whenever, so if she needs my undivided attention she gets that after 3pm or over the weekend.
During school hours she reads, does times tables practice, plays educational games and watches tv shows related to her school topics. She also likes making up stories and doing crafts.
Her actual school work doesn't always get done but we make sure we touch on everything even if she doesn't find time to do all the written work.

Honestly we feel really out in the cold with no idea what we are doing. Minimal communication with the school, minimal support, no live lessons. They do a live assembly once a week, asked all the children to show their pets and went through every single child even the ones who just had stuffed animals, and skipped over my child and our (real live) cat, despite her raising her hand in the call once she realised the teacher had gone past her in the register. She was already having confidence issues from being ignored in school, now she's out of it it's still happening and she's feeling very isolated. It's just me and her at home, and I'm trying to write my dissertation and finish take home exams and assignments for the final year of my undergrad and wondering if it'd be better for my child if I dropped out.
School wouldn't even know if she wasn't doing any work.

It is not compulsory to engage with schools. The law is very clear. Until 6th February 2021, schools must provide opportunities for remote learning. However you as parents are not required to send y our child to school or to engage with your child's school and the school can not use the usual non attendance legislation.

Legally you must ensure that your child(ren) receives an education to meet their needs and abilities, however you choose. Schools can't insist on your de-registering whilst schools are not open to all children.

1
Coronavirus Act 2020 Disapplication of Section 444(1) and (1A) of the
Education Act 1996 (England) Notice 2021
The Secretary of State for Education, in exercise of the powers conferred by section
38(1) of, and paragraph 5 of Schedule 17 to, the Coronavirus Act 20201
, issues the
following notice.
Disapplication of section 444(1) and (1A) of the Education Act 1996

1. The Secretary of State for Education by this notice disapplies in relation to

England section 444(1) and (1A) of the Education Act 19962 (the Act) during the period specified in this notice.

1. The Secretary of State for Education considers the issuing of this notice is an

appropriate and proportionate action in all the circumstances relating to the incidence or transmission of coronavirus for the following reasons: (a) An increase in the rates and means of transmission of coronavirus make it necessary to take further measures to reduce transmission. On 4th January 2021 the Prime Minister announced a national lockdown in England to begin on 5th January 2021. In light of the level and seriousness of risk and having considered advice and information from the Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies, the Chief Medical Officer, the Joint Biosecurity Committee and Public Health England, the Secretary of State has decided that it is appropriate for most pupils to temporarily cease to attend school. The purpose of this measure is to reduce rates of transmission by reducing the number of contacts among pupils and between pupils and staff at school, and between pupils and others while travelling to and from school and while at home and in the community. (b) Section 444(1) and (1A) of the Act create offences relating to the failure of parents to secure regular attendance at school of a registered pupil. It is therefore appropriate and proportionate to temporarily disapply section 444(1) and (1A) so that pupils will not be required to attend school. It remains a parent’s duty to ensure that their child of compulsory school age receives a suitable education in whatever way they can under section 7 of the Act and state-funded schools are required to provide remote education to pupils who are not attending in certain circumstances by virtue of the Coronavirus Act 2020 Provision of Remote Education (England) Temporary Continuity Direction 2020 made on 30th September 20203 . 1 2020 c. 7. 2 1996 c. 56. 3 Published in the Gazette and online at www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/3642261