Home education and childminding

[epic]

My DS is 2 years old, and I would like to home educate him, for all sorts of different reasons. I am also thinking of registering as a childminder. Does anybody have any experience of childminding and home-educating at the same time?

I've been looking at websites which advise about childminder registration, and there seems to be a requirement to 'deliver' the Early Years Foundation Curriculum to all children under 5. Although I'm sure I could do this if I put my mind to it (have worked in schools, kids clubs, youth clubs and a pre-school) I am kind of opposed to it on principle!

Ideally, I would like to look after older children who were also home-educated.

Any thoughts?

Hi, yes I home ed my son, who I withrew from his primary school as they refused to adhere to his SEN [he has a fairly rare genetic physical disability, but is mobile]. It works brilliantly and I wish I had started it ages ago [he is now 6]. I have just had my Ofsted and my Home Ed contributed to this, and the inspector was very impressed. It is very easy to incorporate the minded children with your Home Ed. The parents of the children I care for are very happy too. Go for it! The EYFS is a 'bible', but can be implemented alongside everything you do, and you do not have to follow a set curriculum. I found that school failed my son in many ways, and he is a different child now.

mycarscallednev, thank you - it's very, very reassuring to know that you have made it work. It's great that Ofsted were impressed.

I spoke to Ofsted and my LA yesterday (although I didn't mention Home Ed!) and am feeling much more positive about the EYFC. Can't say I fancy all the record-keeping, but it doesn't sound as if it is particularly restrictive or prescriptive

I studied the EYFS a couple of years ago

I went in dead agin it, and came out utterly, flag wavingly pro

I found at our nursery a lot of the parents hated it- "too much mucking about and not enough letter forming/maths"

...one thing I've thought of with combining HE and childminding (though my dcs are older than yours) is doing CM with older children in the school holidays. I know working parents can get a bit stuck if they don't want to use playschemes and so on. You can (sort of) keep up your HE routine and activities/visits, and school aged mindees would benefit as well. Also your kids get the regular company of schooled kids (I know some may see this as a disadvantage- I don't. After all, your dcs would see a lot of HE kids in term time. Nice bit of balance, I reckon)

SpringheeledJack, I totally agree with you about balance. Although I'm very keen to HE, I don't want to keep my DS in a HE bubble, and he already has friends who go/will go to school as well as friends who might be HEd. That seems healthy to me.

I love the idea of looking after juniors in the holidays. My experience is mostly with juniors. We could have so much fun, playing, chilling out and going on trips etc. - great for my DS to tag along with.

The parents you mention at your nursery: in a way, I'm kind of reassured by their specific objections to EYFS - i.e. I like the idea of play-with-no-pressure for the under5s (that is, I'm quite happy to 'teach' basic maths and letters etc. so long as the children are playing and either absorbing the information without trying or have 'chosen' the activity in question)