Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Home ed

Find advice from other parents on our Homeschool forum. You may also find our round up of the best online learning resources useful.

Original poster

hypothetical question

10 replies

jussi · 24/06/2011 12:33

Would you consider using a childminder (qualified teacher) who looked after school aged home educated children (SEN and NT) geared towards informal learning such as social games, visits to local places of interest, cooking, etc.?
If so, would you consider it as a permanent weekly arrangement for a couple of days/afternoons or on an ad hoc basis as and when?
Thank you for any views or opinions.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
veritythebrave · 26/06/2011 19:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

FionaJNicholson · 25/06/2011 06:51

It would be worth checking out the rules on when you have to register as a small school because you will have a group where at least one of the children has special educational needs.

www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/sen/sen/supporting%20learners%20with%20sen/a0013111/independent-special-schools

Saracen · 25/06/2011 02:09

jussi - yes, I have and would. I used HE childminders while I worked part-time from home. If I could afford it, I'd love to have someone to use just as an occasional babysitter now.

With all respect, I would be ever-so-slightly put off by someone even mentioning that she's a qualified teacher. I would suspect she doesn't realise that that is fairly irrelevant to the informal home ed model of learning, and I'd expect that there might be a bit of a learning curve for her to adjust to non-school ways. Not that a person couldn't mention being a former teacher. Lots of my HE friends are former teachers, but they don't generally promote it as a particular advantage when HEing, if you see what I mean. Being a registered CM would be a positive plus, on the other hand, as it might mean I could use the childcare element of Working Tax Credits toward the cost. Having some experience of children with SENs and a willingness to consider looking after them would be a positive plus as well.

Original poster
jussi · 24/06/2011 21:55

Thanks for your replies.
I am considering moving to E.Sussex next year and am contemplating HE'ing my SN son.I thought it would be an opportunity to earn a salary while my son benefited from the social contact.
I would not look after more than 3 other children at one time.

monkeray-In order to be a registered childminder, Ofsted have to be involved anyway although funnily enough to be a private tutor, Ofsted do not get involved.
Thanks anyway everyone, will give it some serious thought!

OP posts:
mummyloveslucy · 24/06/2011 20:59

Informal learning like cooking, outings, arts and crafts etc is what childminders do anyway. I don't think ofsted would see it as tuition. It sounds great! Smile

mummyloveslucy · 24/06/2011 20:56

I'm looking for someone like you. Where do you live?

I'm just looking for someone to have my daughter once a week, so that DH and I can have one day together a week on our own.

monkoray · 24/06/2011 20:00

OP, do you know if you can legally use someone else to home educate? Doesn't that count as a tutor and don't Ofsted then have to get involved? My husband and I are considering HE and have only just started researching it so I'd be really interested to know the answer as we would definitely be interested in this option for one day a week.

thisisyesterday · 24/06/2011 19:42

i don't actually HE, but have been very close to it in the past, and wouldn't rule it out in the future

persoanlly i probably isn't something i would use because if i was HE'ing then i'd be at home all day to do it myself anyway, and as i am not working (cos i am HE'ing,) I wouldn't be able to afford to send the children to a childminder....

am sure it would work if you knew you'd get enough people who could afford it, but most HE'ers I know do so because THEY want to be in charge of their child's learning.
i do seem to know mostly people who unschool their kids though, which perhaps is a different kettle of fish altogether Grin

LauraIngallsWilder · 24/06/2011 19:35

Yes I would love this!
If only you lived near me............... :o

toxicwaste · 24/06/2011 18:58

I would absolutely consider this. In my view home educating is not just about being with the child/children all of the time but is about knowing what they are up to, knowing that whoever teaches them will be able to tailor the day to their needs/interests and give your child/children plenty of 1 to 1 attention. I feel that a childminder would be able to offer this. Even if she/he has more than just your children the group will be very much smaller than that of a classroom, as will the ability to be a bit more spontaneous.

So yes, it is something I would consider