Home schooling

[nuraysha2010]

Hi,
I noticed a conversation here about home schooling, but it goes back to 2011 so I thought I'd best start a new one :). I'm based in Edinburgh, and really interested in the idea of home schooling my seven-year-old son part-time. (He's at a mainstream primary school at the moment.) Is there a home schooling parents' group in Edinburgh that meets up regularly? I'd love to get in touch if there is. Any information would be appreciated.

Hi! Here is a local home ed group you can join: www.ebhe.org.uk

If you wanted to do full-time home education, that is straightforward to start. As you live in Scotland, you need the LA's consent to withdraw your son from school, but that should be a formality.

On the other hand, part-time school, or "flexischooling" as it is often known, is not so straightforward. You'd need the school's agreement, and many aren't keen. In Scotland I think the LA has to agree as well, but you'd need to check that. I understand that it's best to do some research and marshall all of your arguments before approaching the headteacher. Psychologically, it's easier to get someone to say yes in the first place than it is to get them to change their mind after they have said an initial no.

Try asking on the Edinburgh home ed group whether anyone is flexischooling, and also join the Facebook group "Flexischooling Families UK".

What is it about school that is working well for your son? You may find that you are able to provide that for him at home after all, and that full-time home education works well. For example, my older child was very sociable and actually had better opportunities to play with other kids when being home educated than when she was at school.

Or if the school says no to flexischooling then you may decide that the overall "package" of home ed suits your son better than school, even if home ed isn't perfect and there are things about school which he misses.

Oh, and if you have only found one Mumsnet thread about home education, you are looking in the wrong place! There is an entire board about the subject. It's here: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/home_ed

Thanks very much for all the info! I've also heard back from a couple of mums on the Worldschoolers FB page, and as you say, it's a bit more complicated in Scotland. We may find our way round it by doing forest school on the Monday (fingers crossed!) - sth the school is not totally ok with but then hey, sometimes it's good to rock the boat, and I know other parents and children who are doing it - and taking the morning off on Fridays (which may/may not be ok'd by the council). Like your daughter, my son is very social and I don't think making new friends would be an issue. I hadn't seen the other thread, so thank you for pointing me in that direction! Many thanks again for getting in touch.