A wave of illiterate “home schooled” children

[RedSkyatNight25]

Prepared to get torn apart, and I know many homeschool because the school environment isn’t right for their children (SEN, sensory issues - whatever else) and their needs aren’t met by school with a chronic lack of SEN placements and too much demand etc. I’m not naive to that. I also know some parents with adequate resource will ensure their children have a rounded education whilst being homeschooled.

But there seems to be a movement to homeschooling by people who are simply anti establishment with a point to prove. Their grammar and communication on social media tells me they’re not equipped to homeschool a child. Not least I think the socialisation and soft skills school provides are hugely important too. I suspect most of these parents either haven’t considered the benefits of school or hugely underestimated it, especially past primary are parents really equipped to teach ALL the subjects with sufficient skill if they lack the knowledge themselves? Are they not underestimating the skills and expertise of qualified teachers?

AIBU to think it’s really concerning? These are the next generation of our workforce and infrastructure. I personally think we are hugely privileged to live in a country with free education - I know it’s not perfect but I’m not convinced homeschooling is better for a vast majority.

This. We are doing iGCSE and Functional Skills exams over the next 2 years and have a very good relationship with our council home ed liaison but are frowned upon by many in the local home ed groups. We aren't anti-school. We got the point that it was better we spent the time and energy in schooling at home rather than battling the school and council for the support our child needed. Our child wants to attend college for the next stage of their education and we support this choice. In fact, that is exactly what our aim was, to get them to the point where they had choices that they maybe wouldn't have had if they stayed in school with no or poor support. We have a formal visit from our council liaison each year and show what we have been doing and what our plans are for the coming year. She has been fantastic and we are also getting support from the local careers service this year. Too many are being influenced in the local groups to reject any input from the council liaison and are missing out on so much that would actually support them and their child. Any comments to suggest that they at least give this a chance are shouted down or deleted by admin.

How would it benefit children to sit exams they can't handle?

You don't seem to understand the system of education at all @Horsie

All well and good, but I still think your daughter is missing out on the school experience - meeting and being with dozens and dozens of children her own age, being part of a community, school/team pride, school drama productions, school trips, forming relationships with authority figures - i.e. the teachers. Some of our teachers were hilarious, really cared about us, and we have fond memories of them many decades on. As for school not being for everyone, well you know what? Work isn't for everyone, it's certainly not for me, but I have to do it anyway, and that's what you call the real world! I sometimes wonder how home educated kids will cope with a work environment, having to turn up every day and put up with people you'd never choose to, etc. Home education is lacking in ways that even the best parent-educators can't make up for, imo.

This was my sister. She homeschooled all her children for the whole of school and I’ve never met young people in their twenties with such outrageous views on life and people and zero interpersonal skills. And I’m not exaggerating. My sister was no teacher. In fact she unschooled them.

That was the case with the twins I mentioned upthread: the father was an American pastor, spreading the Word in Scotland.

You do realize that some schools decide not to enter some pupils for exams because they don't think they will get good grades and they don't want the child effecting their achievement data

So many low-ability, low-income kids with neglecting parents who attend failing schools emerge at 16 and are functionally illiterate.

But at least they’ve learnt the important skills / disciplines of getting out of bed, sitting through lessons that bore them, and interacting with people.

The perception that home school is for cranks is strong.

You educate them so that they can handle them, of course! Having SOME GCSEs at some grades is better than never having sat any! How is a child ever meant to progress to anything if they don't have GCSEs? Almost everything requires them, from A-levels to hairdressing courses to plumbing courses to police training.

I understand the education system perfectly.

Of course, there are some children who are vulnerable, and are never going to pass a single GCSE, in which case they should be supported by the state because they need help and it's not their fault.

I am not talking about those children. I am talking about the majority of children, who can pass a few GCSEs at grades 4 or 5 with a good educator, whether at home or school. My point is that children should have to take GCSEs, unless they are SEN.

Except for special cases, I don't see how it's legal to deny a child a qualification that they need for practically everything in order to progress.

Not all schools are dozens of kids the same age though. DGs is one of 14 aged between 5 and 7

What about the ones taking the IB? Sone schools do that instead

It should be illegal, if the children aren't SEN or have other challenges, like severe mental health or physical health issues. I'm talking about most children, to whom those special circs don't apply.

What happens to non-SEN, healthy children who have never sat GCSEs? What are their outcomes? Almost all further training or education requires maths and English GCSEs.

Well of course the IB counts! I'm talking about regular, non-SEN children with no physical or mental health issues who are never required to get any qualifications at all.

I'm wasting my Saturday having a stupid discussion about the bleeding obvious - that children should be properly educated and given the opportunity to get basic qualifications that they need in order to progress. Next I'll be arguing that the sky is in fact blue.

I'm out.

YANBU but the biggest victims are the homeschooled children themselves and their parents...so honestly, who cares?? It's the best example of cutting off your nose to spite your face and MN proves that homeschool parents are hellbent on believing they are superior, without considering what could happen 10-20-30 years down the line. Some may argue that it leads to increased strain on social services, raised taxes etc but that's honestly similar to blaming migrants for everything. There will aways be people reliant on benefits or social care and the system will adjust itself accordingly.

The vast majority of those kids won't end up with employable skills or any sort of ability that allows them to lead self-sufficient adult lives. Many may be due to the reasons they had to be homeschooled in first place (neurodivergence, anxiety, MH, poor social skills etc). Even lots of high masking ND adults who managed to complete the entire school and university system end up struggling with long term employment.

The most reasonable prediction is that homeschool children, many school refusers, will do fairly well in the short run. The massive cohort started during covid and haven't really entered the workforce yet. However there will be a massive crash in 5-10 years time when the dwindling economy and AI have already made employed jobs scarce. HS candidates will have no chance against candidates with a classic education, both academically and socially. They may struggle meeting new friends or potential partners. There may be more mainstream acceptance of single adults living alone into middle age, and less emphasis on traditional milestones like marriage, kids, etc.

I can only imagine the parents have witnessed some of the appalling standards of teaching/ schools/ bullying and they don’t want their children in that environment.
Either that or they’re sick of the stupid school hours and it’s not worth them trying to have a job so they decide to spend their kids’ childhoods with them instead.

Homeschooling is also a massive safeguarding issue. There is little to no regulation or checks in place to ensure the child's wellbeing. Plus teaching is a degree level profession for a reason - most parents do not have the skillset that comes from the years of training it takes to become a fully qualified teacher (minimum 5 for degree plus two ECT years). If you weren't quite happy with the NHS systems, would you have a go at surgery on your child yourself?

I think many people are arguing that being 'properly educated' can sometimes happen very effectively outside a school environment.

I disagree with several of your comments - your perception of how home educated kids navigate the world is exceptionally narrow - but I agree that all children should receive an age-appropriate education, with necessary provision made for SEN.

I've mentioned above someone who has done an excellent job of homeschooling her children. However, they've come unstuck when it comes to formal qualifications.

The eldest has a specific difficulty and attended senior school after the age of 16. She told her mother that she regretted having missed school in her earlier years.

The middle child enrolled in a college course and quickly dropped out. I suspect that social interaction became too much for her. She's absolutely lovely, but all of her socialisation has been with her own extended family plus a few meetings with other home-schooled children and - latterly - participation in a youth group.

The mother has a degree and also some OU qualifications.

It's a similar scenario with a friend who home-schooled her two after primary school. They both loved primary, but were unhappy at their large secondary school. They have lots of 'experiences', but little in the way of formal qualifications. The friend and her siblings come from a working-class background and all did very well at university.

The elder child enrolled in a post-16 college course, but that didn't work out.

This is actually a misconception

Most college courses say GCSEs or equivalent (so could be other courses that show knowledge)
A child who doesn't achieve any GCSEs for any reason can still go to college and start on a level 1 course.

At 19 you can do an access to higher Ed course (1year) you don't have to have any qualifications to do this.
After this you can progress straight into a degree course.

Families that home Ed do not have to follow the national curriculum. Children progress won't necessarily be age appropriate IE they may be years ahead in one subject but working at a lower level in others.. some Home Ed children don't read as early but they develop other skills. Learning is often child led and follows interests. This means they are motivated to learn which achieved better results than pupils who are terrified in school

At no other point in your life will your social circle consist of thirty children with whom all you have in common is being born in the same September to August cycle
thats the whole point , It’s your only time to be part of a big group, interacting , playing outside, sitting together at meal times, it’s so important for their social development.
what about music lessons ? Drama ? things like sport days. Class projects ? World book day, bake sale? Trips? School plays?
you'd have to be very consistent and with a good budget and time to match all the above.

Yes, this is what I've seen - bright children, but unable to cope with a wider range of people.

HS candidates will have no chance against candidates with a classic education, both academically and socially. They may struggle meeting new friends or potential partners. There may be more mainstream acceptance of single adults living alone into middle age, and less emphasis on traditional milestones like marriage, kids, etc

I'm oscillating between laughing at this and being horrified at the narrowness of your POV.

My home educated DC all sat GCSE's, did work experience, been members of non-home sports teams and drama/music groups for years and are thriving at college now doing A-Levels, along with most of their HE cohort.

Not all home ed kids have been weaving lentils in a darkened room for the entirety of their childhoods.

I work in a SEN related team for a LA. There are many excellent home schooling families, unfortuantly there are just as many who are completely neglecting to provide any form of even a basic education and trying to clutch to the suggestion that roblox is educational when pressed by the LA about the education. It tends to be those who are frustrated with school and pull them out but with no real consideration of what home Ed means.

We also have those are yo-yoed repeatedly in and out of school.

The issue as far as I can see it and it's not just over home schooling is the child's right to an appropriate education

Whatever the setting is it being met?

I suspect that in a lot of alternative provision the answer is not

There is no point responding to all the misconceptions and misunderstandings in this post.

You educate them so that they can handle them, of course! This made me laugh though

Uniforms and strict rules about looks, fines and prosecution for absences no-one would care about elsewhere

I disagree, it prepares kids for the real world of employment, turning up on time and looking half decent is a life skill which carries on through to the workplace. I don't know any employer who wouldn't care about absences.