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.

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/950219/Education_Act_1996_-_school_attendance_offence_disapplication_notice_January_2021.pdf?fbclid=IwAR2ghG_GqYKGnBouaKgsl-cXrhqK7wGT-4WB67yNb7Zta5_R6m8fKsh581o

Read everyday and dedicate some time for maths/ daily writing. Rest of the time could be spent doing independent arts, crafts and going for a walk or playing in the garden (if you have one).

Je551ca
I am also not paid to do more than 1 job but I am currently doing many, just in the same way you are expected to but we're having to deal with it and get on with it so in much the same fashion, we all have to get on and do as best as we can.

Teachers are also working parents!!!

You're finding it tough, teachers are finding it tough. We are all in the same boat having to juggle different roles right now.

Quoting the law doesn't mean it's going to happen and in the same way the police cannot enforce people sticking to the rules as they dont have enough police officers. Schools do not have enough staff to monitor and police this plus the DFE would not pursue this currently. I do not agree with people just choosing not to try but it really irritates me to see them being bullied if they are struggling by your inference they are committing a crime.

As long as people are trying their best, and doing what they can when and how they can, and keeping schools in the loop, then fair enough.

But just shrugging it off isn't going to be brushed aside.

Expectations on schools and from schools are different this time.

Do something educational as well as you can as often as you can and let the school know. Else they have no option but to go down the same route they would if someone simply wasn't sending their child to school. Schools are understanding and realistic about things, but you have to engage with them even if it's to say that you simply can't engage with home learning in the way it's being provided.

Well it's just an absolute shit show really isn't it! We did a full school day today and within that time I'd say 1:30 hours was the only learning because it was a combination of needing a break, throwing around his pencil, getting angry/frustrated, crying because I ended up shouting. I feel like an utter failure because then following all this and a quick walk he spends more time on his Xbox than he's probably learning.

I don't believe there's consequences for not completing work or if is then it's some schools and I think that's pretty shitty indeed given the circumstances. I'm lucky at the moment I'm furlough however I start a new job in 2 weeks I'm in the office for 5 days and DP is wfh ft. On paper we are both classed as key workers, ds won't have a laptop to work on in 2 weeks (currently using my work one) I was told tough there's no spaces and nothing else. No phone call or assurance/support on what I could do in terms of making home learning easier.

I've resigned myself to the fact ds will complete what he can on the worksheets with a little bit of input from DP when he can, then we're going to have to switch the week around and make weekends school days...it's the only option I have a feeling by March I'll be rock bottom due to stress of learning a new role + attempting school work.

We are trying very hard but Ds has ASD and is a school refuser. Refusing to do almost all work but we are still trying every single day. School have offered a vulnerable child place. Ds won't go because schools are closed it says so on the news every day.

I am frontline worker so working out of the house 8-7. Dh is working from home but also frontline so lots of meetings, confidential calls etc.

Dd year 11 is doing most of hers and trying to one to one Ds.

None of this is acceptable really. Massive impact on Ds. Dd's mental health really suffering as she is really putting her self under strain trying to help Ds. My work is incredibly stressful and Dh is stressed too.

I hate it all. Older Dd and Ds are also working from home on their university courses too. Wifi is hit and miss today.

On top of all that older Ds is in private uni accommodation where the landlord won't allow any allowance for students living at home and he is still paying rent.

FGS, no school or police officer in the country is going to take legal action because a parent is not homeschooling. Everyone would recognise that as stupid and entirely counterproductive. Schools will support and cajole, where possible. They are absolutely not going to punish families who are already struggling in a variety of ways.

@ReginaPhalangee

No personal judgment from me at all because I know how hard it is but as a professional, I should tell you that failure to engage with remote learning is not an option. Learning remains statutory even at home so anybody not engaging will find there are consequences. We just had a full staff meeting about exactly this issue.

I don't think so.

@nostaples

FGS, no school or police officer in the country is going to take legal action because a parent is not homeschooling. Everyone would recognise that as stupid and entirely counterproductive. Schools will support and cajole, where possible. They are absolutely not going to punish families who are already struggling in a variety of ways.

Not according to @ReginaPhalangee as per pp...there will be consequences apparently ....reading that very saying makes me feel like I'm back in seniors!

@Wisteria1979

I feel hugely let down by school to be honest. We get the bare min of online (less than an hour a day) and a whole heap of stuff they want printed / completed / uploaded. We have very little availability in the day and yes of course we do some at the weekend but it won’t be enough. The school is not providing what they are required to do and just push it back out. - sorry but they need to take some accountability back for the schooling. That’s their job. I have mine.

An hour of live stuff plus work to do sounds like lots to me?

What more do you think school are required to do?

The Law states
It's the parents responsibility to ensure their children receive an education, be that school or otherwise.
School isn't available then the parents are the otherwise
HTH

I'm glad schools will identify those that are being failed at home.
It's the case with H.edders.
They can be ordered back to school if the EWO believes the children education is being neglected

@Awalkintime

Je551ca I am also not paid to do more than 1 job but I am currently doing many, just in the same way you are expected to but we're having to deal with it and get on with it so in much the same fashion, we all have to get on and do as best as we can.

Teachers are also working parents!!!

You're finding it tough, teachers are finding it tough. We are all in the same boat having to juggle different roles right now.

We agree on that. My point is, if refusing to home school is a result of not being able to do it all then that’s acceptable in my opinion. And that teachers may well do the same and id support them

*Who are these parents who work for 16 hours a day, 7 days a week?

If you can't support your children's learning during the typical 9-3 M-F, do it at other times. Both of my children require significant one to one support with learning, so we take any and all opportunity to do it - they were each doing work at the weekend and in the evenings at times as a result.*

So when I have worked from 8.30-5 (on a scheduled diary which cannot be done outside of those hours due to the need for safeguarding referrals etc), then cooked and eaten tea and cleared up, you're suggesting I then sit 6 year old DS down and try to make him work through his school day at 7pm?

Are you serious?

Allispretty not down to me, I wouldn't want to do this whatsoever. It's what I've been told by SMT and they've been told by County.

@GypsyLee

The Law states It's the parents responsibility to ensure their children receive an education, be that school or otherwise. School isn't available then the parents are the otherwise HTH

I'm glad schools will identify those that are being failed at home.
It's the case with H.edders.
They can be ordered back to school if the EWO believes the children education is being neglected

Nope. Not buying that. We ensure they receive an education by enrolling them in school. When schools close due to a pandemic we do not become the otherwise. That is clearly intended as a choice in normal circumstances. The government can’t have it both ways; Take legal action in normal times so that we ensure kids are in school and build our lives around that (we can’t even take them out of school for holidays); and in current times force schools to close and expect parents to pick up education.

In most cases the legal rubbish being quoted wouldn’t stand up. The laws are not designed for pandemics.

@ReginaPhalangee

Allispretty not down to me, I wouldn't want to do this whatsoever. It's what I've been told by SMT and they've been told by County.

Thanks for clarifying, the issue I take with this however is there are lots of parents on here at absolute breaking point attempting home learning whilst working ft. These consequences I'm assuming is for parents that literally just can't be arsed and refuse to engage with the school on their reasons why?

@GypsyLee in this particular case during a global pandemic where parents are just trying to keep it together (as are teachers who, the majority of whom are also parents) nobody is going to enforce that particular law.

Any headteacher who is being heavy handed about this to the extent of threatening or enlisting legal action is very lacking in good sense or compassion.

Legal action would not be helpful even for feckless parents who are just being deliberately arsey and lazy (and no, I really don't think there are many who fall into this category) and would certainly not be helpful for parents who are struggling but trying.

There haven't been any cases of legal action under lockdown so this really is scare mongering and unhelpful.

Do your best, communicate with the school. That's it.

I am a teacher and senior leader and parent.

@SansaSnark

The expectations from schools were put in place because parents demanded them, and the DfE responded.

I think it's fine to give up- do what you have to, to survive, but don't expect your child's teachers to do extra to catch them up when schools return, and certainly don't expect any catch up in the holidays.

Of course they'll help them catch up. There's loads of reports that home learning doesn't work for many pupils, especially primary.

Jolie12345
But we're not refusing and there was nothing to imply we are wanting to.

The Law states
It's the parents responsibility to ensure their children receive an education, be that school or otherwise.
School isn't available then the parents are the otherwise
HTH

Parents have many responsibilities, of which education is only one. They have the responsibility to feed and clothe their children as well. Which one should they prioritise?

It's got the makings of an interesting newspaper article.

This may be controversial but I see refusing to homeschool in the same category as refusing to ensure your child turns up to school on time every day. There's fines for unauthorised absence for a reason and if schools can get these kids back in school they should.

@Lancrelady80

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 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.

Sections 444A and 444B of the Act make provision for the issuance of
penalty notices where there is reason to believe a person has committed
an offence under section 444.

You cannot commit an offence by failing to send a child to school when it is a government requirement to keep children at home - any more than you can commit an offence by failing to send a child to school during school holidays.

Schools are extrapolating and assuming that, because parents are normally required by law to send registered pupils to school, parents must therefore be required by law to engage in the substituted home schooling. There is no legal basis for that assumption. It's simply wrong.

If you are working from home you can use the time you would have once lost due to commuting to do some reading or maths.

Spend the time you'd have spent listening to your child read after they'd been in school and supporting them to do their homework to pick up some of the most important bits of schooling.
And accept that if you've had to be flexible in terms of fitting in any school work in the week, that you should probably do some at the weekend instead. If the child is on free time all week they can do some work at the weekend.

YANBU to find fitting home learning in difficult.
YABU and doing your child a disservice to not fit anything in at all.