Am thinking of homeschooling and in need of info!

[flootshoot]

DS is only 2.5 so time yet but I'm seriously considering home ed for him and DD. Where does one begin? I'd really appreciate any information on curriculum, resources/materials that homeschoolers use etc. Anything, really that will help me start to plan this and see how doable it will be. I would also appreciate advice on any official requirements that homeschoolers are expected to fulfill.

Also, are there any useful books/courses for homeschooling parents that are worth looking up?

Thanks in advance -lots of questions!

"Does no-one come and check up when the child doesn't start school. I suppose having worked in Local Government I find the lack of form filling hard to fathom!"
I'm sure you'll get used to this new freedom, LOL! If you hanker after forms, you can always do Tesco customer satisfaction surveys; that meets my need to do something that resembles the worksheets with which I was trained .

I agree with SDeuchars when she says "Your DS is only 2.5yo. By the time he reaches 4 or 5, you'll have advanced along with him and you'll know what to do." You'd probably say something similar if the parent of a newborn said to you, "But I don't know anything about toddlers! How will I know what to say to a two year old? How will I know what games he'll like to play or which books I should read to him?" It will be far easier than you think.

flootshoot are you a teacher by trade? I think unless you're a teacher its still very hard to get your head round the NC. The NC is just a guide and you have to follow the National Literacy/Numeracy Strategy and the Early Years Curriculum to make sense of it. The NC has been instilled in me, from many many years of lesson planning I've used it as a guide for my annual plans but we have covered things that aren't even in the NC.

What kinda stuff do you do with the kids atm?

It does take a while to get out of the mindset of form filing when we have been so brainwashed into thinking it's normal

why would you want to limit yourself to the National Curriculum, when there are so many other interesting things to learn? By ignoring the NC, you can take as long as you want learning them!

Your DS is only 2.5yo. By the time he reaches 4 or 5, you'll have advanced along with him and you'll know what to do. My DC did not go to school at all and we just kept on doing the things that we had always done - reading, cooking, craft, music, park, library, groups, ... We added other things, such as sports and children's clubs when they were ready to try them. Basically, you do not need to worry about "where to start" because you have already started.

No-one will automatically come and check whether your child has started school (after all, you might have sent them private). The good news is that you do not have to fill in any form. The only reason in law for the LA to check on you is if they have reason to think you are not providing an education (Education Act 1996, s437).

Sorry I'm in the UK! I think I would have to use the national curriculum to some extent to give myself a plan IYSWIM. Otherwise I wouldn't know where to start. So what happens with the LA? Does no-one come and check up when the child doesn't start school. I suppose having worked in Local Government I find the lack of form filling hard to fathom!

We've got a number of threads on here, for families who are new to home ed.
I'll bump them all for you.

As your children have never been to school, there is no requirememnt for you to do anything.
You don't have to inform the LA or anyone that you are home educating.

There is no advantage to telling the LA IMO. I have never come across anything that the LA can offer, that I can't get quicker, and better from the home ed community.

In terms of official requirements, which country?

Are you using a curriculum or special educational resources at present? Because if not at age 2, then maybe no particular reason to do so at 4 or 5 or 7...