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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:
Ylvamoon · 27/12/2020 00:50

...compensating the parent who chooses to make the sacrifice and home educate

That would be around 650.- PW in our house. Because one of us parents would have to give up work temporarily. But we still need the income to pay our bills. Then we need to hope that the employer is willing to agree to this and not just think "stuff you" ...

Original poster
tinselwreath · 27/12/2020 00:50

You do use prisons though, since that's to keep you from getting burgled or attacked.

You use cancer services because of preventative checks.

This analogy doesn't hold water to me.

OP posts:
EreLongDoneDoDoesDid · 27/12/2020 00:51

Even if this idea was a) feasible and b) not totally batshit, the amount of money you’re talking about is too little to replace a parents job but too much to just remove from a school like it won’t have an impact on staffing, bill paying, building maintenance and other fixed costs. It’s loss-lose for everyone involved and couldn’t work.

Original poster
tinselwreath · 27/12/2020 00:54

Are people on mumsnet functionally illiterate that they do not understand the word "option"? Funny that a lot of these people also seem to be in high paying careers lol guess the education system wasn't all it was cracked out to be anyways.

OP posts:
AIMD · 27/12/2020 00:54

@tinselwreath

You do use prisons though, since that's to keep you from getting burgled or attacked.

You use cancer services because of preventative checks.

This analogy doesn't hold water to me.

Well by that thinking childless/free people use sculls too... because the drs treating them in 30 yrs time will be being taught now. The carer that visits their elderly relatives will be working because their child is cared for at school. Etc
SionnachRua · 27/12/2020 00:55

@tinselwreath

You do use prisons though, since that's to keep you from getting burgled or attacked.

You use cancer services because of preventative checks.

This analogy doesn't hold water to me.

Never had a cancer check, never been involved in a case that sent someone to prison. Gimme. Dat. Cash.

Now of course my argument is ridiculous - that's quite obvious, as is yours - and I'm happy for my tax to fund prisons/ fire engines/ orchestras etc. Even if I don't use them. Same applies to schools, withdrawing funding only hurts kids as a whole.

Kaliorphic · 27/12/2020 00:55

This analogy doesn't hold water to me.

Well we could just seek to protect ourselves then right. Get rid of the lot. Organise our own security. No? Go for private healthcare. American style. Get rid of the NHS? No?

GinAndTonicOnIt · 27/12/2020 00:56

You still haven't answered me.

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

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?

ineedaholidaynow · 27/12/2020 00:57

Did you go to school @tinselwreath?

friendlycat · 27/12/2020 00:57

Tinsel stop being silly now.
The whole of your plan defies any form of logic. Children are the future and their education is important. Far far too important to be left to be educated at home for the foreseeable by people like you who really don’t understand basic logic.

Kaliorphic · 27/12/2020 00:58

Are people on mumsnet functionally illiterate that they do not understand the word "option"? Funny that a lot of these people also seem to be in high paying careers lol guess the education system wasn't all it was cracked out to be anyways

I don't think you should be home educating op. Paid or otherwise.

Original poster
tinselwreath · 27/12/2020 01:00

Grin what a cult this site has become, such strong groupthink... Wow.

OP posts:
AIMD · 27/12/2020 01:01

@tinselwreath

Grin what a cult this site has become, such strong groupthink... Wow.
Or.....your idea is just genuinely rubbish.
friendlycat · 27/12/2020 01:03

No it’s got nothing to do with a cult it’s just that you are plainly wrong but won’t accept it.

AIMD · 27/12/2020 01:03

Btw when I have an idea no one agrees with I’m gonna give the ‘cult’ ‘groupthink’ attack a try too. Great move. Much better than just listening to the logical criticisms and accepting the idea won’t work.

Kaliorphic · 27/12/2020 01:04

Oh so because people don't agree with your frankly batshit idea it's now a cult. Okaaay.

Original poster
tinselwreath · 27/12/2020 01:04

Of course and 95%+ are all the same response with just minor venacular differences. This place is just a forum to hammer down anything considered "wrongthink". It's obvious that real people do not take it seriously.

OP posts:
Kaliorphic · 27/12/2020 01:06

Not really. I'm all for home ed. I do it myself. Your funding proposition for it has massive flaws though. But you clearly can't see that.

MinesAPintOfTea · 27/12/2020 01:08

@tinselwreath

Are people on mumsnet functionally illiterate that they do not understand the word "option"? Funny that a lot of these people also seem to be in high paying careers lol guess the education system wasn't all it was cracked out to be anyways.
You haven't explained why you don't think that this will encourage those who are abusive towards their children to keep them home for the money instead of getting them out of the way for a few hours.

Offering people money to remove their children from safeguarding support is not a risk-free choice.

And where will the money come from if it isn't taken off school budgets?

Original poster
tinselwreath · 27/12/2020 01:09

This isn't the first thread to have "posters" behave this way. It's not natural debate. Try harder next time guys otherwise everyone just writes this place off as not even remotely realistic lol.

OP posts:
WhenAWrenVisits · 27/12/2020 01:09

So interestingly someone was recently telling me about a country where they do something like this (I think it was Qatar or UAE). The parent is given money to educate the children and there are various options including traditional school and online learning. I think it’s an interesting idea but I’m afraid that some parents don’t value education and would waste the money on other things if they could get away with it

AIMD · 27/12/2020 01:11

@WhenAWrenVisits

So interestingly someone was recently telling me about a country where they do something like this (I think it was Qatar or UAE). The parent is given money to educate the children and there are various options including traditional school and online learning. I think it’s an interesting idea but I’m afraid that some parents don’t value education and would waste the money on other things if they could get away with it
Was this a covid specific option of just a general option that is always available?

I do actually think that where parents choose to home educate ( not linked to covid) they should be able to access funding.

friendlycat · 27/12/2020 01:12

I’m off after this.
But it is natural debate. You just won’t accept the feedback given.
The people here are being realistic and explaining why your plan would not work. The person being unrealistic is you because you won’t take on board any of the reasons why it would not work.

Kaliorphic · 27/12/2020 01:14

Try harder next time guys otherwise everyone just writes this place off as not even remotely realistic lol

Bless ya. You think that people out in the real world would agree with this approach them right? Set up a government petition and let us know how you get on with that. Im sure they'll come round to your way of thinking and release that money, meant for children's education, into your bank account.

Kaliorphic · 27/12/2020 01:16

I do actually think that where parents choose to home educate ( not linked to covid) they should be able to access funding.

I think that there should be funded resources / online school available definitely. Releasing the cash straight to parents, not so much.

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