Home Teaching

[sandy2806]

Hi, I have just joined the group and have had some interesting reading. My daughter is absent from school a lot over the past 3 years due to illness and her education is now suffering. The EWO (use to be LEA), school nurse and the mental health team are involved as my 10 - soon to be 11 year old daughter has emotional needs. Is there any reason anyone can think of why I wouldn't be able to take her out of school and teach her at home? As that is the route I'm seriously taking but I don't want the school putting obstacles in the way and want to be one step ahead of them - for a change.

Also, and even though she was ill on Friday due to taking phenergan to help her sleep, the headmistress had the nerve to turn up at my front door with a staff member demanding to see my daughter and asked where she was. When I said in bed as she had been sick and thought that was the best place for her, then the headmistress said that she shouldn't be sleeping too late (bearing in mind it was about 10.30am and she was ill). Surely if she was on the sofa with the tv on and laptop that would have been wrong too? Has the headmistress got a right to come to my house? Thanks

The headmistress certainly has no right to demand to see your daughter. If she doubts the absence is genuine, then she should be informing the EWO not turing up on your doorstep.

The school are not able to put obstacles in your way (assuming you are in England) - it is your legal right as a parent to choose to educate your daughter at home if you want to. You just have to ensure she gets an education suitable to her age, abilities and any special needs.

The only reason I can think for you not taking her out of school would be if the MH people feel strongly that school is a positive thing for her, or that change at this stage would be a very bad idea. But it would still be up to you as the parent to decide they don't know what they're talking about!

Hi,
I took my daughter out of school when she was 9 she had chronic pain and mental health problems. Before we deregistered her she was also missing lots of school and sleeping late in the morning, due to either being highly medicated or not being able to sleep.
Home education worked really well for her for a couple of years, it gave her the support she needed, the rest she needed and time to explore her interests and not having to worry about trying to catch up on what she was missing at school.
We also had Camhs involved and they couldnt have been more supportive of our choice to home educate.
You do have the option to keep her on role a school if you wish, as legally the LA have to provide medical tuition if you daughter is no longer able to attend school. The mental health team can request this for you. she would be entitled to minimum of 1 hour a day home tuition.