To think that most people actually do understand, and therefore support, home education...

[PennyRa]

And it's just a loud minority that are ignorant?

In comparison to those who homeschool and claim people are sending their children to failing institutions where they aren’t allowed to be an individual and are only allowed to socialise with a narrow group?

I have a toddler so I haven’t thought much about school yet but the attitude of some of the homeschoolers on this thread has put me off any thoughts of homeschooling. Perhaps I’m just ignorant and small minded though.

I do think that homeschooling can be the right solution for some families, especially when schools have failed to meet the children's needs.

However I come to this with the background of someone who grew up in a fairly strict church. I was the only one in my youth group to go to a state school. The others were a mix of home ed and small Christian private school. I will forever be grateful for my schooling. It was far from perfect, but I learned about evolution, and met non-Christians (and discovered they're not evil!) For that reason, I think that there does need to be more legal oversight of homeschooling.

I also think every child should have the right to sit GCSEs and A-levels, so that they have a choice of what to do in the future. They can still decide they want to work for the family business or homeschool the next generation, but with qualifications they also have other options.

Where have I said that?

I think there are massive problems with the school system as already stated BUT I also stated I think school is great for lots of children and that many individual teachers are also fantastic. I would never judge a parent for sending their child to school as I trust they are acting in the best interests if their child. It would be nice to be offered the same courtesy in return.

I think there are a tiny proportion of children (many of whom i would predict to have additional needs) for whom it might be the best/least worst/only option.

For the vast majority i think school education is by far a better option.

You realise you aren’t the only poster on this thread right?

I home educated because I had no choice. My son was assaulted in school by a teacher who then lied about it. He was non verbal with people he doesn't know so they didn't carry on the investigation. The bruises and abrasions on his face and body spoke for themselves.

I home educated for 8 years. I'm astonished at these multiple accounts of socially awkward, failing HE kids. Every single one I know, except several with serious additional needs, have gone on to FE - some to Uni, and some to creatively based courses - graphic design, photography, art & design etc. Also animal care and agriculture. This will out me a little but one of the children in our Home Ed circle played Matilda in the West End for several months - they rotate - she was one of three at the time. We were all so proud of her.

My own ds who was apparently unteachable without resorting to restraint & violence is now in college - on a course for highly functions autistic teens - studying for his GCSEs alongside business studies and multi media.

I call BS on most of these doom and gloom outcomes for HE kids.

Then why lump us all into the same box?

I said some, meaning not all.

“As the parent of an only child, I think school is important not just for his friendships and socialising, but as a place to learn that the whole world doesn't revolve around him. He is not any more important than any other kid in the class. He has to muddle along when things aren't perfect for him, deal with injustices, sometimes be misunderstood or just lump it when things don't go his way. Learn when to fight your corner (with adults and children) and when not to. I think these are all quite important lessons for kids to learn!”

This ^
Socialising is not quite the same thing as socialisation - learning to be within a wider cultural and social grouping.

I have not had much experience with HE for SEND and it’s interesting to read those perspectives here, but I have come across many hippie/alternative families who home educate, and common traits are lack of flexibility and compromise, inability to understand their wants/needs are not the only priority, lack of awareness and understanding of difference, overconfidence and poor boundaries.

Excellent post.

@Mogwire - unfortunately the report doesn’t split it out, but for the purposes of arguing for more oversight of their development, I don’t think it matters. Children who have social workers are more vulnerable than those who don’t need social worker involvement regardless of the reason.

I am not sure they are "odd". They probably just don't conform to what people think is "normal".

School is very good at getting people used to petty officialdom with loads of rules (mainly aimed at crowd control). Home educated kids won't be used to them, and will probably be less good at blindly accepting authority. I am not sure that is odd or a bad thing. We need more people who question the status quo.

Ugh.

I've only posted once here and just read quickly through a few more posts, and picked up on someone saying that home educators 'teach their kids to hate school.'

I just wanted to reply to that, as it's so far off the mark for me. My home ed kids have lots of school friends, so they get their own take on school from the kids who are actually there.

I've always encouraged a very balanced POV on school, and never to make it a negative thing. We home educate with the knowledge that something unexpected could come along, or one of the kids could request a move to school, or whatever, and they would need to move across as seamlessly as possible into mainstream schooling.

I repeat what I said earlier - I completely support a home ed register. Some home educators I meet have a VERY different POV to us on learning and education. We're pretty conventional and follow the curriculum. I know that kids can fall below the radar in home ed, and I think a register is VITAL to stop this from happening.

This POV is not popular with many home ed families, but I've yet to hear an argument that persuades me otherwise.

We HE and I totally agree with you, I think there are quite a lot of us about who think the same way tbh.

I am reminded of a recent thread about someone's neighbour shouting at their children all day. The children were being 'home educated.' In other words, if there was abuse going on, there would be no school involvement and no intervention.

This is a serious concern, and anyone choosing to home educate should be inspected and regulated, which I don't believe is always the case.

Another concern is that I read posts from people who are home educating, but unfortunately their posts contain spelling and grammar errors. I can't see how they think themselves capable of imparting knowledge they don't possess.

One of the things that put me off my son's school was how badly written communications home were.

My eyes rolled so hard at this post. Learning to live alongside others is not about crowd control or petty rule following it’s about learning social boundaries and being part of a society. Schools encourage critical thinking, hell some even offer a qualification in it. They learn to debate, they learn about social change etc. Even Greta went to school. Your little spirited child is unlikely to be some sort of social hero because they shrug off social norms and more likely to be irritating and hell to live next door too.

Here is your some @Marytherese

Another concern is that I read posts from people who are home educating, but unfortunately their posts contain spelling and grammar errors. I can't see how they think themselves capable of imparting knowledge they don't possess

Ha! I work as an editor, but I'm not at work on MN and rarely check my posts. Do all the teachers posting here who make grammatical mistakes worry you just as much?

Your little spirited child is unlikely to be some sort of social hero because they shrug off social norms and more likely to be irritating and hell to live next door too

Seriously, why the meanness about someone's child?

It's really hard to have a sensible, meaningful debate when people post like this.

But the other posters post is fine? Talk about confirmation bias.

I don't agree schools teach critical thinking actually, that's one of the main reasons I prefer home ed. When I worked in HE I was shocked by the lack of critical thinking skills displayed by many of my students, along with poor writing skills. And these were students who had come from highly regarded schools.

Did someone else start it? 🙄

Confirmation bias? Right back at you with that one. I'm literally just catching up with the thread and your post leapt out because of speaking meanly about a child.

I don't want a fight. I would love one home ed thread where people don't resort to name calling and meanness, that's all.