Is it normal for lea to be so nosy?

[mam29]

ok rang my lea today to make enquiry about home ed and got

the lady I need to speak to not in

leave a message.

they wanted to know dd name
birthdate
school currently attending.

is this normal?

at moment im making an enquiry as the home ed policy on website not clear.

I havent deregistered.

i googled and only 97 home ed kids in my county is that low?

There education on website not as informative as other leas.

are some more home ed freindly than others?

have no idea when she ring back.

Mam,
I would ask your questions on here tbh. Whatever you didn't understand there are people very knowledgable with lots of experience. Unfortunately, I'm not one of them but I have heard people say that their LEA were less than helpful and not always knowing the law themselves.
I think 97 is a low number but of course it depends on how large your county is and maybe how good the schools are. Do you live in an area of many private schools, as I'm told this can make a difference.

two thirds of LAs in England have fewer than 100 home ed children on their books

Lots of info about home ed numbers here

edyourself.org/articles/FundingReportexpanded#sizeLAclaimfunding
edyourself.org/articles/latotalnumber.php
edyourself.org/articles/lalinegraph.php
edyourself.org/articles/FOIhomeednumbers2011.php

Thanks fiona useful numbers there. odd doesnt correspond with my la numbers that googled.

Wondered if schools really bad devon as they really high amount home ed.

My la site not very informative but other la sites are and recceomended contact the council which I did to make a informal enquiry.

numbers can vary hugely in the course of a year, and also vary from year to year

for me, the main reason for high or low numbers of home educated children in a particular area are related to the total number of children in the area covered by the local authority

the map numbers were taken from a few years ago

Devon is 2,590 square miles and has a population of over a million (don't know how many of this million + are school age children though)

"at moment im making an enquiry as the home ed policy on website not clear."

Well it wouldn't be. They simply don't want you to know the actual law on home ed. With very few exceptions .....Lancs now being one of the few.....LAs either lie about the extant of their powers....and say they have a duty to monitor or will need to do a home visit....or simply fudge it.

So....don't ask the LA anything, don't tell them anything is my advice. Ask here instead. Bet we can answer AND tell you what the law actually says, instead of what the LA would like you to believe.

And a good number of home educators in my county are unknown to the LA.

Its no secret as made my intentions clear on other threads,

Im having back to school nerves.

need to book apointment with head and discuss my flexi schooling proposal as its heads discretion sometimes govereners it pins on me convincing one person bit daunting.

I know I have a legal right to do so.

when I google flexi schooling it comes up with various las home education policy.

flexi schooling seems to come under that umbrella.

some leas seem more home ed freindly than others.
most mention the word flexi -schooling.
1 gave loads of helpful info and mentioned was worth contacting the education officer and getting advice and backup.

I want to prove to head that im serious about the idea and hoped I guess maybe some official guidance from lea might sway him.

My la website says very little on home ed and low numbers of home ed kids which makes me think they not very supportive.

I have quite a few worries going round in my mind.

I have 2demanding younger kids 16months and nearly 3.
hence why thourght flexi not full home ed as chaos some days where as thursdays sibling nursery so quiet one to one with me something rarly get in this house.

im worried shes behind where she needs to be and year 2 has added pressure of flipping sats this year.

in back of my mind I worry i picked the wrong school.
it gone downgraded on last ofsted.
shes in yet another class of 30.
I know she could improve.
Im concerned shes skim learning and not getting time to learn anything in debt or do stuff she enjoys like arts , music and sports.

But I dont think she would want to leave school she has her freinds.I think academically would be better for her but socially she would resent me.

I guess what concerns me is further down road when she doesnt get into good senior school as not sure her school can prepare her for the right level.

wondering if some time out primary might be good thing.
but its feels like such a big commitment with 3kids.

shes already upset as they get less playtime and even more so in juniors and the year 6 sats seem like hell.

im nervous as feel like year 2 is crunch time.
I no longer trust the school as much as once did.

so its either move or home ed from year 3.
not sure hubby would support me going full home ed.
think my family would think im nuts can hear my mums negatove voice in my ears now but we rarly agree on anything parenting related.

I know i wouldent be very autonmous im a structured learner love idea or workboxes, timetables but lots of trips and practical application and chances to

learn how to swim
join a football team and do karate-shes wanted to do extra but shes already busy 3nights out of 5.
introduce languages
learn 2instruments

worry in school we would never have the time to do it all.
sorry for essay

had realy negative summer term with pushy overcompetative parents,few pupils leaving and the bad ofsted

dreading going back to old routine.

many/most LAs don't get involved in flexischooling as they think it's an arrangement between the parent and the school

the school should mark the register Code B for educated offsite

schools are more likely to agree if they think it's trial/short term

I wrote this after the flexischooling conference last year
edyourself.org/articles/flexischoolingconference.php

apparently there's going to be another flexischooling conference in November

Thanks fiona thats helpful

I would like to do it for least 1year see how it goes.
longer if goes well.

I just want learning to be fun and dreading the highly pressured year 2.

Hi Mam. fwiw, we decided to H.ed for very similar reasons.
My dh took some persuading and once he had the facts he surprised me and is fully behind it now. I don't think dds school would have agreed to flexi school and I was scared she'd miss something vital. Last year she missed alot of school due to musical activities and whilst they were good about it, I was worried about her education and falling behind.
There is no way shes going back to school in the forseeable future and we are all looking forward to being at home. However, it doesn't stop us worrying or the daily wobble which I'm assured is natural in the early days.
I say good luck and if they don't agree, please post back with your concerns. You sound like me in my first few weeks of decision making

"some official guidance from lea might sway him"

I think it might, but not in the direction you want! Many LAs are very pro-school.

So I reckon you are better off discouraging the head from consulting the LA about flexischooling. It's just one more opportunity for someone to say no.

A better approach, I think, is to try to find someone local who has a good flexischooling arrangement in place and encourage your headteacher to talk to their headteacher if there are any questions about how it works.

Well the la education man rang back.

He seemed very nice and helpful.
He couldent tell me figures on how many flexi school within my area and suggested a neighbouring la and see if they do.

But he said the la had no objection to flexi or home schooling as both legal options availiable to parents.

He said if he finds any more useful info. he will be in contact

So the difficulty is convincing one man.
Whos quite old school and been in post for 14years.

Hope he doesnt feel insulted.

was going to type up proposal of why, how and objectives of flexi schooling.

Going to enclose some articles and research as well.

Draw up a flexi schooling contract.

But he could still say no as shes going into year 2 and they be sats obsessed.

If he says no not sure what to do?

as daughter likes school socially but academically she would benefit from being at home.

Considered changing school even but would be huge pain.

Theres a girl in year above who does 4days primary and 1 day at foreign language school-would this be example of flexischooling?
As can use that case as a precedent then.

I asked on my local board but no response.
Guess could try contacting la but no numbers as its school/parent agreement so not really to do with la.

any part-time agreement where some of the education takes place off-site would be a good precedent (unless by quoting a precedent you risk the head saying "oh well if we let you both do it then everyone will want to..." so you'd have to be a bit sneaky how you introduced it

Thanks fiona.

Im going to speak to the other mum when kids go back abdout hwo she manages to keep up with what she missed and what school are like with it.

Shes french and sends her eldest to french school other side of city-its private not state but our primary is state va rc,

I will aslo ask if younger sibling going into reception will have same arrangement.

Did wonder if should go down nationality route perhaps?

Im welsh so could do welsh history and teach her welsh.
History im good at my welsh language not so much.

My main reason for doing its is although shes happy at school.
Felt she was stressed in year 1 and lacked confidence.

I think one day out will do hour litercay and maths then topic work, trips and have lovley chilled out day.

Want thursdays as toddler goes nursery all day then.

thursaday evening she has gym so guess that could count as hour of pe if she missed a pe day.

cant seem to find anyone locally doing home and school.

will print off loads positive stuff and be flexible and try and praise him. just makes me nervous its hinges on one person.
I do get on quite well with the guy I not yet been identified as one of the pushy troublemaking parents-he had lot of trouble last year with parents

Thourght the praise sandwich approach talk about how we have no concerns over welfare and safety despite the social services investigation, we love the thos and pastoral care of the school and the downgraded oftseds not upset us in anyway we still fully supportive of the school , drop in the pta.That we dont feel our daughters gifted and talented or special needs, shes happy but these are our concerns

fixated with levels.
struggling getting frustarted and tearful with homework set.
overtiredness at times.
biggy is lack of confidence

That we feel she would benefit from more one to one, shes neither bottom or top and that we understand in class of 30 and resources thats hard so this year wish to work in partnership and be more involved and appreciate extra help she got with reading last year but shes doesnt seem to be progressing. maybe flatter him with how we see him as progressive headmaster with best interests of the children and the decisions specifically tailored around our child and our familys needs and wont be enovuraging whole class to do it, will be discreet.

Yes, the new November conference is in November. Please consider going, the speaker list is AMAZING!
www.sc-education.co.uk/flexischooling-conference/

Hi 69669802

It seems to cost £155? www.sc-education.co.uk/conference-registration/

Are you planning to go yourself?