Insane rise in home schooling?

[whyohwhy246]

Has anyone else noticed a huge increase in home schooling? Someone I follow in IG has just deregistered their child and I just can’t believe how many families are choosing to do this.

Of course it is sometimes the right choice for the child but it seems that more and more children are being allowed to opt out of formal education.

Teenagers need to learn that life is hard and school will throw challenges at them. How they learn to deal with this impacts how they handle things as an adult. What happens when they enter the work place and they can’t just opt out of the difficult things? Where do they learn that resilience?

I have worked in education for 20 years and whilst I agree that some aspects of the system are broken, I don’t think home schooling is the answer to this.

The social aspect alone is impossible to replicate (walking to school together, having your first crush, a detention, school trips I could go on and on…) but I also don’t see how all of these parents can have the skills to teach their children to GCSE. I also find it so insulting to teachers who spend years learning their craft. It’s not just something you can pick up and do effectively.

Has anyone else noticed this?

A significant fraction of of kids who are home educated are those who do not have appropriate school placement, either temporarily or peemanently.

so for example it is very common for children with autism to have a placement break down in reception or year 1 because of anxiety driven violence. They are then waiting on a special school placement that can take months and lots of paperwork to sort out.

some children with disabilities are taught at home as a specific Choice as there is no school reasonably locally capable of meeting their needs.

so having a minimum of - you must set these standards - would not work for this group who are already likely to have barriers to learning due to disabilities and some would not meet these expectations whether in school or not.

there’s a lot more of these kids than there used to be.

My DD begged me to be homeschooled when she learned it was a possibility here in the UK, but as a single parent I simply didn’t have the funds.

IMO homeschooling only works if the parents also have the education to understand what they’re doing and if there’s finances for all the activities needed so that children still meet some form of socialising.

I don’t think this is a NT vs ND situation like people are trying to make it, plenty of ND children are also victims of bullying, anxiety, etc. Bullying overall in schools needs to be tackled more effectively.

The kind of behaviour some posters seem to think children ought to be able to deal with, stand up to and use as defence sound more like the kind of law of the jungle you’d expect someone to navigate in prison, not normal adult life.

And I think it’s well accepted that this environment is found in prisons due to lack of funding and interest, not because anyone believes it produces good outcomes.

Also reminds me of old excuses for things like hazing in the military.

I have no opinions either way, I think you do what's right for your child. However my friend is a secondary school teacher and she has seen an influx recently of home educated children going back to school in year 11 as their parent have realised they are not going to do well in their GCSE's

Would be good to see stats on how their fare. But if they were withdrawn because they couldn't cope with mainstream, not sure how dumping them back in during exam stress helps matters.

Exactly this- for a lot of people I know the aim is simply to get kids to college age largely unscathed. It's the state schools that are wild, unregulated places.

OP, I'm trying very hard not to be rude but your attitude is typical of the incredibly narrow minded thinking which was one of the catalysts for our decision years ago. I'd be interested to know, when you say you were in education for 20 years, was that the last 20 years? Or have you been 'out of education for some time'? Genuine question.

A detention is a social benefit of school?! 🤣

The ignorance surrounding HOME EDUCATION never ceases to amaze me! We're all neuro-divergent, anti establishment lunatics that just want our children to be free to live in the woods.

Firstly, and most importantly, there is absolutely nothing wrong with Home Education done responsibly and for the benefit of the child. How sad it is that we have been indoctrinated into thinking the current mainstream education system is the only way to satisfactorily educate a human being? That none of us are capable of home educating our children despite this "incredible" education at school we've all been afforded! I would argue that there is always a place for state education but unfortunately, it is currently oversubscribed, outdated and full of burnt out, de-motivated, under valued children and staff.

Do I want my children in a situation where bullying is considered a normal part of growing up? I am aghast that we can have whole threads on MN discussing child abuse and it's effects long term yet when this problem is associated with schools, suddenly bullying is acceptable, a bonus even!

My children aren't neurodiverse, I wasn't even familiar with this term when we made the decision to HE nearly 20 years ago.

Why did we make the decision? Multiple reasons. We wanted our bright, inquisitive children to remain inquisitive and to not have their learning moulded, restricted and tested within an inch of it's life.

DH started but at sixth form but didn't finish and went into employment. I finished but we were both desperate to get as far away as possible from the prison we both felt school was. Neither of us were bullied but we'd both seen the damage it had done to peers and damage it still does 30 years on. Both of us achieved good grades. My DHs father pushed him and his siblings hard at school. None ended up finishing their A levels.

A seed of doubt about state education had already been sown, it was further encouraged to grow when I happened to meet a wonderful family of home educators at a toddler group. It had fully bloomed when our eldest started in reception. She went from being a happy, bright child to a dejected shell within a couple of months. One that used to devour books prior to starting, to one that didn't want to go anywhere near a book after being told she needed to keep reading the same one. She also wasn't allowed to choose where she sat after she had one day off sick. A 4 year old child, reduced to tears because she couldn't sit next to her friend.

That was it, decision cemented and it was without a doubt, the best decision we could have ever made.

Our children all thrived over the years. They played with other children of all different ages, not just those born within a year of them. They tried all manner of clubs and sports. We travelled, we explored the UK and they never knew they were learning because it was all so natural and fun.

We knew GCSEs could open doors for them so they were discussed openly with our DC. They ended up with 9 each and they then chose to go to sixth form where they came away with the A levels they needed for Uni.

They are incredibly self motivated and driven. One completely self taught herself GCSE Economics and achieved Grade 9.

Your comment about being offended said it all to me. That is ultimately the basis for your bitterness and prejudice towards Home Educators. How can we possibly do a better job than you when you have spent years 'learning' how to do it.

We have the right as parents to question whether school and the burnt out, demotivated teachers that are leaving the profession in their droves are the best choice for our children. The system is cracking under the pressure. The government should only be fully supporting home educating families as it takes the burden off schools.

My MIL was also 'offended' by our decision to HE. She is a retired Secondary Head. She also sunk a bottle of wine a night because of how much she hated the job and couldn't wait to retire. Says it all.

I think the sudden emphasis from academies on attendance is a big factor. So many children get sent in poorly. If you have a vulnerable child then I’m not surprised they’d choose to home school. Parents are scared about what will happen if they keep children at home.

It seems that homeschooling is the case on " making allowances" a lot of the time

Between us my DH and I homeschooled our DD with the help of a local homeschooling organisation. She was registered with a local, to the organisation, senior school so we didn't have to pay for any exams. She was bullied relentlessly at junior and senior school with death threats, physical attacks, and silences so by year 8 had just had it. I worked at her school as an LSA and so she could at least come and find me at break or lunch and assured me my working there wasn't the issue, I was never convinced about this but didn't push it.
Homeschooling her was absolutely the right thing to do and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. She is now a qualified dental nurse, has her own place, and is, for the most part, as confident and contented as we could wish for, and we are incredibly proud of her.
Whilst Homeschooling isn't right for everyone who considers it for us it absolutely was. I dread to think how she would be if we'd left her in a school setting.

My son is disabled and right now, mainstream works well for him and he'd hate to be home educated but we are approaching high school and if his EHCP is removed, I may have very little choice because sending him to high school to flounder isn't an option.

But hopefully it won't come to that.

Why are you so arrogant as to think a 'professional' in a state institution is more equipped to teach my child than I am, the child's own mother? Especially in the early years?

Spot on post.

My daughter in Year 8 has attendance issues. She suffers from very painful periods and regular UTIs (I believe a lot of this is caused by lack of toilet access at school) as well as the usual stomach bugs, colds etc.

This has led to numerous emails from school, her attendance being mentioned in front of her at pupil and parent meetings and a visit from the attendance officer. She has SEN and this causes her a great deal of worry. In honesty I am finding it very stressful myself and at times believe it would just be easier to home educate her as I am becoming more concerned about the school's Ofsted report than I am about my own daughter's well being. I have sent her into school ill and crying just to improve her attendance.

Yes that's true It's maybe only the privileged families can homeschool well. Others have to work, have uneducated parents, no money or transport for extra curriculars etc.

The homeschooled kids in that situation won't date as well

I think perhaps you've misunderstood what's being talked about. Are you angry that people are such snowflakes these days and you don't think it's right? That everyone should just get on with it? Did you have to do that when you were a child?

In my experience it's not (as far as teens are concerned) 'home' schooling that's on the increase but rather online schooling. I know quite a few (autistc/ADHD) girls who have left school in the last year or so (mostly in Year 8 or 9 which is when the wheels most often start coming off for ND girls) to join Kings Inter High, British Online School etc. This isn't a poor choice - it's structured, individualised education where they still have a timetable of set lessons - they even have assemblies and optional school trips! The girls seem s much happier. Their environment is calmer, the school days are shorter, there's more down time for them to be themselves, they have friends through out of school hobbies and groups (plus their old friends from physical school). None of them have any regrets and parents don't need to have any more involvement than they would in 'normal' school.

Expensive though, I imagine. But not as expensive as independent school.

School is shit unless you are a compliant, neurotypical child.

My DC are very similar to me - diagonsed at uni like me as schools gaslit for years - but they'd have had an easier time in my secondary in 90s than they did in theirs in last few years.

So kids who in past would have coped suddenly can't and if parents can't get them in then they risk fines.

It is a worry about the numbers as some likely are being failed but if the family have money there are new options like on-line schools which may be adding to the number as well.

Post 16 at college very different atmpsphere to their old school they've all been much happier - as have their friends in their respective settings.

Those I know live very simply. No they are not rich at all.

Well they obviously have enough money that they cannot eschool, pay bills and eat so hardly poor

I agree. My teachers, quite frankly, didn't give a shit that I was being mercilessly bullied. Bullying erodes self confidence which reduces resilience not improved it.

🙄🙄🙄🙄 l home educate one and send one to school. I have some serious questions about some of the things at school.

agree with this

Fewer would EHE if the LA complied with their duties around providing education for those unable to attend and didn’t act unlawfully with EHCPs.

I'm not angry . Bemused more than in a generation everyone has become far less able to cope with stuff

And yes I was taught that life is crap and get on with it. I also taught my own kids self sufficiency rather that me " fixing,," stuff for them. For example if they moaned about something id ask them to figure out how to make it better rather than jumping in

They do the same with their own kids

I agree to some extent, however what we've found is that children who have been bullied when they come to home ed groups often tend to take a long time to drop their defensiveness and learn not to be so 'spikey' in order to get on with the other kids.