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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.

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Original poster

Political parties' policies on HE?

24 replies

ExAstris · 01/04/2015 10:20

I've been trying to find the policies of the various political parties on home ed, can anyone help? We're at the beginning of our HE journey (LO would be going into reception this September) and are worried that we'll be forced to put him in school.

OP posts:

EauRouge · 01/04/2015 11:37

I don't think there are any parties planning to ban it completely.

I think UKIP and the Tories aren't planning to make any changes to the law as it is.

Labour historically have been in favour of compulsory registration and I'm not sure if they have changed their stance. I did see a reply that someone on a HE group on FB got from a Labour MP but it was all politician-speak so it didn't really say anything. Also, Ed Balls.

The Greens were in favour of compulsory registration but their policies can all be voted on by members so there's a team of HE families writing a new HE policy at the moment.

Not sure on SNP, Plaid Cymru etc., sorry.

So in terms of HE then Labour are probably your worst bet. But there are policies other than HE that may affect a family's ability to HE- tax, benefits etc.

ommmward · 01/04/2015 13:43

Lib Dems were also in favour of registration and monitoring. Honestly, much as it breaks my mother's heart (!) conservative government is the best bet for home edders if we want to maintain the status quo

jomidmum · 01/04/2015 18:15

Although the Conservatives are proposing no changes to home ed law as it now is, so many families are finding home ed increasingly difficult because of Universal Credit and the Back to Work policy.
So difficult to know if any party truly supports it and who would allow the most freedom for parents to education their children as they, as parents, decide is best.

ommmward · 01/04/2015 18:42

Yes, I guess put it this way:

If you are in a position financially to home educate without state support, then the Conservatives will leave you alone to get on with it. Or UKIP, as far as you can trust anything their candidates claim from one week to the next or from one constituency to the next.

If you are in a position where you would require state subsidy to support your family while you home educate, then the Conservatives are not your friends. Instead, you may be better to go for a party who will maintain a larger welfare state, but the pay off will be registration and monitoring, so even though you'll be able to home educate, you may not be able to do so in the way you want to.

I think the Greens education policy is being drafted right now (nothing like being well prepared!) and party members get to have input into their policies, so it's possible that that will turn out to look attractive. I just don't know.

Nigglenaggle · 01/04/2015 21:05

That's if you have a green party candidate in your area...

ommmward · 01/04/2015 22:39

I didn't know they weren't fielding them everywhere. Shows how much I know! (not that any of those who-should-you-vote-for polls think I should vote green anyway)

FionaJNicholson · 03/04/2015 06:29

List of prospective parliamentary candidates for all constituencies here
yournextmp.com/constituencies

If you google "tristram hunt home education labour letter kevin brennan" you will get a copy of the letter sent recently to a home ed Labour councillor. Labour are now repudiating Badman. (Tristram Hunt is Shadow Education Sec ie the post previously held by Ed Balls, and Kevin Brennan is the Shadow Minister for Schools which is the post held by Nick Gibb before parliament was dissolved on Monday)

Graham Stuart and Lord Lucas who have been tirelessly supportive of home education in and out of government are both Conservative.

FionaJNicholson · 03/04/2015 06:34

sorry pressed send too soon! To return to the premise of OP's question, there is absolutely NO chance that home education will be banned or that you will "have to put him in school." I'm assuming you are in England which may be incorrect, but if so, you don't have to ask for permission or get approval, you don't have to do what schools are doing, or "keep up" with schools, and if the local authority were to come down on you like a ton of bricks (exceedingly unlikely despite what you might see on facebook, thousands of home educators are just getting on without any heavy handed intervention) then the law is MASSIVELY on your side in terms of the steps the LA has to go through before it can begin to attempt to enforce a school attendance order through the courts.

ommmward · 03/04/2015 08:56

Fiona - can you give a link to that letter please. Google on my phone is insufficiently sophisticated to find it! (i have to say, though, that actions speak louder than words, and I would find it impossible to trust and vote for any party that still has ed balls in it)

Moonwatching · 03/04/2015 11:33

ommm I think this is the letter:

edyourself.org/articles/labourletter.php

oolaroola · 03/04/2015 21:19

That's very interesting about the Labour Party as I was under the impression from various HE groups on FB that Labour was basically intending to make it very hard to HE through a process of enforced registration.

I did email Tristram Hunt (twice) to ask what the Labour position was now and got no reply either time.

That letter still leaves plenty of ambiguity though about the best way to proceed with the data collection though.

There is a FB group that you can join regarding the Green Party and getting their current policy changed. Samantha Pancheri, their education spokesperson seems very sensible.

ommmward · 04/04/2015 08:34

I don't feel very reassured by that letter. The devil is in the detail, and last time it was also "just" a matter of compulsory registration and monitoring.

Nigglenaggle · 05/04/2015 12:05

Also with ommmward on not being reassured. I read it as no more staying below the radar - an increase in hassle for those of us whose children have never been to school. I would rather see a decrease in hassle for us all...

Moonwatching · 05/04/2015 20:19

Agree with both ommm and Niggle.

It sounds to me like they're trying to distance themselves from Badman and all the associated negativity. But at the same time still seem keen to introduce registration. 'A thorn by any other name...' (with apologies to Shakespeare).

bobbysgirlfirst · 07/04/2015 04:23

I wouldn't trust Labour ever again..i can't after what we went through last time.
And I too think the letter (although I welcome the distancing from Badman) is too vague, the devil will be in the detail

oolaroola · 19/04/2015 18:19

What's your take on Tristram Hunt's letter Fiona?
I had always traditionally been a Labour voter but like the others upthread don't trust them since reading about Ed Balls' attitude and Badman.

Nigglenaggle · 19/04/2015 19:47

I'm really struggling to choose at the moment.... I like Labour's policies better overall (except Green, and we have no local candidate so that's out) but... No good for home ed. And I hate Ed Milliband. What to do...

FionaJNicholson · 20/04/2015 12:58

I was pleased by the letter. It's the outcome of 5 and a half years work on the part of a home ed dad who is also a Labour councillor. When I went to see my Labour MP just as parliament was being dissolved, he'd had a word with Kevin Brennan, Shadow for Schools who'd said there were no plans to change anything, and that he wasn't on same page as Barry Sheerman. Messing with home education simply isn't a priority.

ommmward · 20/04/2015 15:15

That's good to hear. I still can't vote for them this time. If we get five years of Labour and they HAVE left us alone, then I'll consider it for the next election. There's a lot of trust to be rebuilt first, though.

oolaroola · 22/04/2015 22:05

That is interested to hear Fiona thanks.

I think that's a good call actually Ommward and pretty much how I feel too.
Still don't know who to vote for though and it's never been this tricky before. I'd vote for Leanne Wood of Plaid if I lived in Wales though - in fact if she wanted to rule the world that would be ok with me.

ommmward · 22/04/2015 22:36

I'm insufficiently socialist to vote for most of what's on offer!

ollieplimsoles · 01/05/2015 13:18

Glad I found this thread, I have NOT heard good things about labour in regards to home ed at all. We are planning to homeschool our first child and have always planned this for our family. I realise a lot can happen in 5 years and things could change by the time we start, but I want to make sure my vote helps to maintain the status quo for home educators now.

We live in a conservative stronghold and Graham Stuart is our local MP, I know hes been a staunch supporter of Home education.

I just want a government that will largely leave us alone to educate the way we want to (we plan to loosely follow the curriculum). I really don't want to be forced to register our child any way or to be at the mercy of government appointed officials checking up on our child's development periodically.

ommmward · 01/05/2015 15:52

I would totally vote for Graham Stuart were I in his constituency. He has been totally supportive of the HE community.

ollieplimsoles · 06/05/2015 16:12

He replied to an email I sent to him regarding HE within hours of me sending it, it was really informative and he obviously really cares about the needs of HE families.

He sent me a great link to he full enquiry he lead into the support of Home Education:

www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmselect/cmeduc/559/55902.htm

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