To disagree with home ed

[Freshton]

Unless in extreme cases (ie SEN, extreme mental health or other complex needs) or parent is qualified teacher, I fundamentally disagree with home ed.

It's insular and doesn't prepare kids for the real world.

I've seen first hand some shocking examples that I can't go into for confidentiality reasons but common thread was parents arrogantly assumed they had same skills as teachers with masters degrees. Reality was kids were really behind, had no proper structure or routine.

It's worrying that so many people see home ed as a viable lifestyle choice. I know school system not perfect at all but isolating children at home or in small home ed group echo chambers isn't healthy.

Some yes, not all. And its ridiculous to think that just because a child is home educated they're a safeguarding risk. The children who are at risk will be already known to authorities and the few that aren't should not be the reason tougher legislation is made for home education. You cannot tar everyone with the same brush and assume because a family choose to home educate that they do not have their childs best interests at heart and are a safeguarding risk. Everyone has a responsibility for safeguarding and thats always been the case home educated or not

I home educate my 5yo. Currently unsure whether there is any SEN need. We didn't choose EHE due to SEN though. We chose EHE because the UK school system is very broken. I can say this with certainty because I am a trained teacher and taught for 14 years.

Our child is reading at 2 years beyond their chronological age and doing Maths work at 12-18 months beyond their chronological age. They can form letters correctly and write in sentences using basic punctuation. Their education includes history, geography, coding, physical exercise, art, science, music, high quality literature, storytelling, nature and more. They go on visits to support their learning. They meet regularly with other home educated children and attend a range of home education groups and meet ups. Their education can also be interest-led. We have a huge range of age appropriate non-fiction and subscriptions to services to support their education, meaning that we are able to adapt their learning according to their interests at any given point. Gaps in understanding can be easily identified and addressed in a way that is absolutely tailored to our child.

DC does not like large groups of people in one place and finds this overwhelming. As a result, whole class birthday parties can be challenging for them. They still want to go and once there, they choose to stay, even if aspects of the party are difficult. That doesn't mean they are isolated or "unable to function in normal social situations", as so bluntly stated by a previous poster. Smaller birthday parties are absolutely fine, for example. Many adults do not enjoy large groups of people either. We do not tell them that they are "unable to function in a normal social situation." We accept that there are many different types of people in the world, with different personalities and temperaments.

I am sure that there are poor examples of home education. I can honestly say that I have not yet come across any. I can also honestly say that there are some incredibly poor examples of mainstream schools and that a very decent proportion of young people are utterly let down by them.

Some people have concerns around EHE that I can understand, if they have witnessed a very poor set up. However, others are simply unable to see beyond the confines of their own experiences and beyond what we have been conditioned to believe is "best" for our children. I don't judge any of you for sending your children into a school. You don't have any right to pronounce your judgement on me as a parent choosing EHE either.

It’s not an assumption of wrongdoing it’s a basic system to check on well being. I have gone out of my way NOT to tar everyone with that brush. It’s the outliers that should concern us all. It’s not MY assumption either it’s risk as identified by the NSPCC, they didn't make it up.

I do find it really worrying how hard people are arguing that there shouldn’t be more regulation or checks. Look at the states and the rise of anti-vax, anti- science, creationist, trad wife, hard line Christian rhetoric etc. really grim and often isolationist. And before everyone gets cross I am talking about minorities but potentially significant trends.

I home educate my children - age 7 and 3

They have a great social life between karate, gymnastics, equine therapy group, forest school, beavers, wild crafts, sports meet up and home ed educational trips with their peers (ages ranging from 3 to 14, older children have seperate groups for their needs)

My 7 year old was in school up until last September. When she left school she could barely blend a simple word and spelling was impossible, she reversed her letters a lot (we suspect Dyslexia like her dad)

Since September she has progressed to the point where she now independently reads chapter books and only needs help with the odd word, her spelling has greatly improved and her letters are written correctly.

Her maths is also greatly improved and she has been able to follow her interests - we are currently travelling around looking at a different castle and its related history each week - while not being subject to religious indoctrination (we are in a UK country where all schools have a strong christian focus, even intergrated schools still teach predominatly christian religion with no emphasis on other religions at least in our area - as a non christian family our choices were to remove her from religious education and worship where she was the only child exempt and often left in a class alone, or home educate)

On top of that, we are kept an eye on. They go to the doctor, dentist and optician, they are in groups with other children who attend school as well as their home ed groups, adults in the community see them on a daily basis, the librarian knows each child by name and we have to send yearly reports to the EA who will then ask for clarification or potentially hit you with a school attendance order if they believe you are not educating your child properly. What we dont need to do is replicate school at home, they just need to be recieving an education suited to their abilities and interests and socialising with their peers

And?

Home ed 'worked' for my 2. One through most of primary then went to Grammar. The other most of primary and through secondary..just taking last A level.

The outliers should not be used as an example of home education. You're getting your knickers in knot over the minority. If more checks are required for home educated children then more checks need to be done on ALL children. Statistics are not very reliable if being used to stear thinking in a certain direction. The rise in home education is due to schools failing children everyday. Children not being able to tell the time in an traditional clock, not being able to read etc. It can't all be out in the parents of school children as to why they cannot do these things. Children are in school 6 hours a day. The teachers see them.more than their parents so why is nobody addressing the fact that the teachers are failing. Children get about 5 to 10 minutes of 1to1 teaching time oer leasson. Schools at the moment are not fit for purpose. TA teaching classes when no qualified teachers available

All these ‘I home educate and I’m fabulous at it’ posts are a bit frustrating.
There are a minority of HE scenarios where kids are at risk, just as they are in families where kids go to school. Issues such as safeguarding are not just about individuals - if you can’t get that maybe you really shouldn’t be home educating.

No one denies that the school system is really struggling. Doesn’t change the basic safeguarding issues across both scenarios.

Sure you know better than a big well referenced NSPCC study.
You’re right though I’m finding it frustrating and a bit sad so I’ll untwist my knickers now!

I completely agree. I’m not remotely academic. But my children are. One in particular is a boffin! He’s a highly respected robotics engineer. How on earth could I educate someone brainier than me? Makes no fucking sense.

For everyone frothing at the mouth about home education, do you feel as strongly about the state education system? Schools are producing children riddled with anxiety and behavioural issues. Bullying is rife in schools and teachers themselves are not always the finest examples of the English education system.

i know plenty more flakey and odd people
who give their kids a mainstream schooling education!

I’d go as far as to say most of the gen pop are odd!

Why are you frustrated by the posts about people who home educate well??

Surely it’s advantageous to have a well balanced view about a topic you are discussing.

Totally agree.
The quiet children get left until last.
I would say most children don’t even get 5 minutes of 1 to 1 time per lesson. Essentially the class is given instruction by the teacher about a topic (who knows if they are paying attention) and then they get on with the work alone or in groups.

What kind of magic do the majority of posters on here think goes on in the classroom?

I guess it’s a good job it’s not up to you then OP.

My DS didn’t have ‘extreme needs’ but was unable to attend school during most of years 8 and 9 due to chronic stomach aches eventually put down to stress related IBS. He wanted to go to school but couldn’t. I home Ed in years 10 and 11. You don’t need to teach or have a masters to facilitate learning. We used online courses and resources and he sat 5 GCSE’s and went to college. He is now at uni and doing great. It was absolutely the best thing for him.

I have been in home ed groups over the years and the vast majority of parents are doing an amazing job home educating regardless of reason. Lots of home ed kids sit exams, go to uni, get jobs etc.

Oh and I am a single mum who worked full time from home. It’s doable especially with older children.

If social services were properly funded and followed the policies and systems already in place then all children could be protected.

The LA can and already do monitor home ed families. Schools frequently fails SEN pupils with some missing years of education while the families fight for what the LA should be providing but aren't - nothing is done for these children because it is easier for the LA and school to abandon then. It is preferred by other parents that these children are abandoned so it doesn't disrupt or impact their child's education.

I so get your concern and have thought similar. We’re doing home ed (at least for the first few years) and I’ve met a lot of home ed families in the last year (our city has a massive community) and some of them are doing a fantastic job, while some of them are concerning.
I think what people miss when they talk about parents assuming they can do the same job as a qualified teacher is 1) We do not assume we can do the same job 2) A loving parent teaching their child who they know deeply and love is not the same as a qualified, experience teacher managing and educating 25+ children in a classroom environment. I’ve met a lot of teachers in the home ed community who became parents and realised school is not somewhere they wanted their children to be.
I LOVED school, especially primary school, but school now is just not the same as it was 20 years ago.

More children that are abused are school educated
Do you suggest that all parents should be monitored regularly evenings, weekends and holidays ?

Claiming to be great at HE and that your children are seen and not a safe guarding issue is not a reasonable argument about safeguarding generally even if it’s a reasonable argument for HE (which I don’t dispute). - it’s a bit stupid in fact.
Abuse and neglect, educational as well as otherwise, can happen across all those scenarios. Whether your kids need it or not is not really relevant to a bigger picture and social responsibility nationally
( in my opinion of course)
Outliers DO matter.

Of course not.
The NSPCC has produced a well researched study and clearly recommended that Home education needs better oversight and safe guarding.
You can turn it into a silly argument if you like, I don’t think they are wrong.

Seen a lot of 16+ who then have to come into the system to attempt to get GCSEs to start preparing for the real world, some have actually been so neglected from an educational point of view but have honestly been so awe inspiring in catching up, absolutely amazing but parents didn't want to acknowledge it sadly.

What cases of abuse are documented linked to home ed?

I don't mean the cases like Sara - cases where social services have failed in their duty - and HE wasn't a factor

I mean actual children that are HE and no concerns were raised because of HE

I agree there are a lot of home ed's who are not able to give an sufficient education however, big caveat that I am currently (unwillingly) home educating, so I am glad it's an option.

The mainstream DS was in was not able to meet needs and were not providing the suport listed in his EHCP. He has developed PTSD from their treatment of him, but the LA won't have a more appropriate school place until September at the earliest. I don't know what I would do if I was forced to continue to send him to a place that was actively harming him.

My child had some time out (a couple of months) due to being unable to cope..
School had failed them for years and we had been fighting for support
When they returned to school - the promised support didn't materialise and despite the fact that they had been in school.strugglingnfor years before they crashed out. Those 2 months of home ed (which had saved their life) was the reason teachers thought they were struggling

Evidence of SEN, Evidence of anxiety and depression caused by school.jot meet need. But nope the LA and school opted to avoid providing an appropriate education and blame it on home ed.

In sure college will blame their difficulties on us having to home ed too

But it's far easier to blame a minority group than it is to look at the absolute disaster of the British school system.