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Original poster

why doesn't the gov pay the parents to home educate if they want to?

398 replies

tinselwreath · 26/12/2020 23:01

I just have a question as I'm curious what people think here since there is the obstacle of closing primary schools to keep virus numbers down.

Why doesn't the government offer the pupil funding to the parent instead? This could be completely voluntary but considering there is about £3750 attached to each primary school pupil, they could give this directly to parents at around £300+ per month for each child and not include this in universal credit calculation to make it more lucrative. Plenty of parents would probably choose not to send their children in and it would leave more space for rotas/social distancing for the parents who cannot take the pupil funding option instead. This shouldn't cost anymore money because it is simply taking the money that the school would receive and giving it to the parent.

OP posts:
JM10 · 27/12/2020 00:05

Chances are this is going to be the foreseeable until 2025

Do you really think this? Why?

This whole post is crazy. It would be a safeguarding nightmare to offer parents money to keep their children at home.

Sweettea1 · 27/12/2020 00:05

Am thick as and no amount of money from government will change that their is no way I could homeschool long term. I want my children to have a better education than I had. Also do you really think giving parents money means they will actually homeschool? I know alot of people that would take the money an still leave the kids todo as they please.

LoudBatPerson · 27/12/2020 00:05

@tinselwreath

Parents have been providing education to primary aged children for hundreds of years and our ancestors survived. Stop with the histrionics.
And there is a reason states across the world put in place school based education systems......
AccidentallyOnSanta · 27/12/2020 00:05

@tinselwreath

Parents have been providing education to primary aged children for hundreds of years and our ancestors survived. Stop with the histrionics.
How educated exactly were your ancestors? My grandparents on my mother's side barely made it in school until 11.
Goodbye2020Hello2021 · 27/12/2020 00:06

@tinselwreath

I don't want schools to shut, however, there are too many students in the buildings and it is unfair to pay the school when the parents are actually doing the work if the schools close.
No but you want to give pupil funding to the parents which will bankrupt the school. Great idea OP... Do you honestly think all the funding schools get goes straight into teacher's pockets? CLUELESS.
Kaliorphic · 27/12/2020 00:06

They have tinsel. But it's quite a challenge to deliver all of it within the curriculum. And maybe you could it. Or maybe you couldn't. But giving parents the money to free them up from work to do it isn't the answer. Because some kids will miss out hugely as the education being delivered will not be equal, and in some cases not at all. Which isn't really very fair.

GinAndTonicOnIt · 27/12/2020 00:07

To be clear, you want the government to stop giving money to schools, and instead pay the parents.

So teachers would be made redundant and the schools left empty.

What happens when it's deemed safe enough to go back to school and there are no teachers there?

Butstilltheycome · 27/12/2020 00:07

"Parents have been providing education to primary aged children for hundreds of years and our ancestors survived. Stop with the histrionics."

No one ever paid them for it.

Kaliorphic · 27/12/2020 00:08

Schools are struggling cash wise as it is. If you want to home ed figure out ways you can do it. Work from home, see what's available. But the money can't be taken from the schools for it.

BrummyMum1 · 27/12/2020 00:09

No working parent would take your deal.

Original poster
tinselwreath · 27/12/2020 00:10

Then the government needs to increase funding per pupil in school temporarily while also compensating the parent who chooses to make the sacrifice and home educate. There were £££'s for all sorts of government contracts, and there's money to pay the parents for taking the hit when their kids are continuously given haphazard education leaving no alternative.

OP posts:
GinAndTonicOnIt · 27/12/2020 00:11

Parents have been providing education to primary aged children for hundreds of years and our ancestors survived. Stop with the histrionics.

Actually a lot of our ancestors didn't survive. Mortality rates have declined massively over the years. Maybe look into some of those online resources to find a graph to educate yourself.

Anon22 · 27/12/2020 00:11

You wouldn't require the full £300 as you your home, heat, electricity and water are already paid for. And you are not a qualified teacher.

I think it would be open to abuse, imagine if you had 3 children, that'd be and extra £900 per month then factor in additional payments for SEN, pupil premium etc.

Butstilltheycome · 27/12/2020 00:11

Where you this fussed about parents having to home ed before covid because parents being forced into it isn't anything new.

ErrolTheDragon · 27/12/2020 00:11

@tinselwreath

Parents have been providing education to primary aged children for hundreds of years and our ancestors survived. Stop with the histrionics.
Most of them before the introduction of state schools were probably more or less illiterate. DH knows that one of his great grandmas only learned to read when her children did. His mother and mine had essentially no science education, girls often didn't.
GinAndTonicOnIt · 27/12/2020 00:12

Also what about parents who have been furloughed. So they are receiving 80% of their salary and legally can't work. That time can be used to help with online learning. You want the to have more money on top?

Kaliorphic · 27/12/2020 00:13

I've seen many a trainee teacher have the most amazing resources at their finger tips. But then balls up the delivery so badly the students end up more confused than they were in the first place. Watching my husband and non teacher friend try to teach was awful. Teaching isn't easy

I home educate one of my kids myself. I know it's not easy. But you asked how would people know what to teach. So I was telling you 🤷‍♀️

Adrastia · 27/12/2020 00:13

I'm bowing out of this thread as it's too frustrating.

You have no idea of the intricacies of running a school and educating children. People have tried to explain but it seems to me that nothing anyone says on here will change your mind.

Your solutions are too simplistic and show a lack of understanding of the roles of health visitors and funding.

The bottom line is if you wish to withdraw your own children from school please do so, but don't expect to be paid for it.

Original poster
tinselwreath · 27/12/2020 00:14

What you guys are forgetting is this isn't a choice for many already. Home education will be compulsory when schools shut due to covid. Why shouldn't parents be compensated for taking on the work? It is their tax money at the end of the day anyways, and they are paying for an unusable service.

OP posts:
Kaliorphic · 27/12/2020 00:16

Where you this fussed about parents having to home ed before covid because parents being forced into it isn't anything new

Indeed. One of my kids was off rolled because of SEN. No one was bothered about those kids.

iamusuallybeingunreasonable · 27/12/2020 00:17

Do fcuk off, £300 a month won't save my sanity or pay my mortgage when I'm trying to hold down a FT job

friendlycat · 27/12/2020 00:17

Gosh what a fabulously intelligent idea. I wonder why the Government hasn’t thought of this.
There are more holes in this ridiculous notion than a kitchen colander and you want to be paid to home school and educate children!?

There really is no dealing with stupid.

GinAndTonicOnIt · 27/12/2020 00:18

@Kaliorphic I sympathise I really do. I am a SN mum. But I don't believe the answer is that all kids should be forced off roll and all parents given money. There are many parents who would spend that cash in a heartbeat, and not do any homeschooling at all.

Adrastia · 27/12/2020 00:18

Ok, you've drawn me back in but just to say

Oh, you're one of the "my taxes pay your wages" brigade - always a sure sign that it isn't worth the effort to discuss things rationally.

Theotherrudolph · 27/12/2020 00:18

Tinsel, the only histrionics here are from you. 2025?!