where is the best place to find out about home educating?

[2catsfighting]

My DD (15) isn't coping at school. I am not hugely confident in how we would get on with home ed if it was just us two. Do people use tutors? also would we have to do GSCEs or are there other acceptable options?

Mumsnet home ed group on facebook
Local home ed groups (although you'll find a lot of the children are younger - by the time people hit 15/16, they have often established their own social groups and wouldn't be seen dead at an all ages social meet up - our area has HE teens meet ups where they go bowling and stuff)
Ask lots of questions here too.

Yes, some people use tutors. It depends how many £££ you have and want to spend that way.

What's actually worth doing is for you and your DD to spend a fair amount of time just hanging out together, doing fun (cheap) stuff like maybe museums or a day at the beach or go to the woods. Set up some work experience for her. Let her take her time. At the end of that, she'll have a better idea of what sort of adult life she wants to aim at. And then she'll know whether she's going to need just a few GCSEs at some point, which she can pick up through a college (or working through the syllabus with you), or whether she needs 10 A*s and then a clutch of A's at A level so she can go and be a vet or whatever it is.

Just, allow her plenty of recovery time.

Oh, and both of you need to read the Teenage Liberation Handbook (How to quit school and get a life)

Thanks, I'm feeling a whole mix of emotions about this, so will probably be posting a lot if we make the break.

Your local group on Facebook would be the best place to start. A lady set them up for every region in the UK a couple of years ago, and then passed them over to local admins. Search for your region plus 'home education' you will get info on your local LA (how they vary from region to region!) and what's going on in your local area.

This is a good group for exam questions. GCSE and IGCSE etc etc Some very knowledgeable people here:
www.facebook.com/groups/HELinksUK.IGCSE/

Have a look at Fiona Nicholson's EdYourself here. All you will need to know is there. There's exams info on the last tab.

Also make yourself aware of the 2007 Guidelines for LAs re HE here.

I'd also second what ommmward has said about letting your daughter recover from school. Don't panic about having to do exams at 16 because that might put her under more pressure. Just let her go at a pace that's comfortable - there's no hurry.

My DD13 left school before Easter for many reasons. In this short time she is now a much calmer, happier person.
We are doing quite a bit of de-schooling and lots of self esteem stuff, which has suffered greatly since starting secondary.
So far it's working really well.

We are doing some lessons already but only mini ones and hoping to work up to a fuller timetable around September.
She has chosen a lot of the subjects and content herself for e.g. she wasn't keen on History but when I suggested Fashion in History she got all excited about it.

She goes horse riding with my dsis who has horses and my dnephew is doing sciences at Uni so can help with that. But no other tutoring.
Together we are looking at her joining some clubs- mainly sport and drama.
I intend to follow the curriculum for maths in year 10/11. Not sure about other subjects yet. I read a lot of experiences on here and other home ed boards, joined tes, use bbc bitesize, maths games online, games, library etc.