Where to start

[BlueGreenPinkPurple]

Hi everyone,

New here from the UK. I have decided to home school my child for many reasons (long story). I have de-registered my child from school and after the Xmas holidays we begin our home schooling. I would like to say I have a plan but that's not quite accurate. There is so much advice online and to be honest I don't know which to follow, so hoping to find some black and white answers on here from those who know a bit more. I would be very grateful if anyone could answer some questions for me.

How many hours daily/weekly do I need to provide my child with 1:1 learning?

Who do I have to present evidence to if anyone to provide I am providing education?

Is there a particular curriculum I need to follow and where do I access this?

How will I know if I am teaching my child properly and they area on target?

How to deal with reluctance from ASD child?

Who do I go to to refer for EHCP?

Thank you to anyone reading xx

You don’t need to provide a certain amount of 1:1 or follow a specific curriculum or timetable. You don’t have to present evidence to anyone, but the LA’s EHE officer may get in touch and you may want to write a report to show what you are providing is suitable. Education Otherwise and local EHE groups can help you with that.

You can apply for an EHCNA yourself, IPSEA have a model letter you can send to your LA.

However, if you are EHE the LA will say you are making suitable arrangements, therefore they are relieved of their duties to provide provision.

Have you de-registered because DS isn’t coping in school? If so, tell the LA you are not EHE and push them to provide medical needs EOTAS provision, as per their statutory duty to provide education under s.19, Education Act 1996.

There are very little checks done on elective home educators. You're basically just left to get on with it, unsupported, un-funded and pretty much un-monitored. So it's up to you. Of the EHE's I've seen this can be anything from a full school at home environment and preparation for formal exams, to days spent crafting, playing video games and doing some circus skills. Usually somewhere in the middle.

So sorry I don't know what a lot of the abbreviations are. My child is struggling at school with the environment, people, the work and expectations of sitting still and concentrating for long periods. I have had meetings and endless communication with the school about how my child is feeling and made suggestions of strategies, asked for things the lot.. but they seem quite unwilling to support, despite the fact my child is autistic and genuinely struggles. My child is coming home distressed, getting in trouble at school with continuous sanctions, having to stay isolated at both break times with no fresh air or room to burn off steam, my child is told to attend learning support when struggling but learning support March my child straight back to lesson even when distressed and then my child gets in more trouble for outbursts and meltdowns. It's affecting the whole family at home and overall is distressing for all affected. I have just literally pulled my child out because I cannot see a way forward in mainstream school. It's been constant and I am having constant distressed messages from my child when at school and constant phone calls from the school to collect my child. It's starting to make me unwell and my anxiety if affecting me at home and work. I'm just lost and don't know what to do anymore. My child wants to attend mainstream school but how on earth do I do that when my child isn't coping and needs so much support to get through a lesson. My child has fallen behind big time and I'm concerned for my child's emotional and educational well-being. Also, I am no teacher so how this will work out I do not know. I don't know what my child is supposed to be learning or where to access an educational plan so I can keep child up to date with what is set out in schools to do.

EHE = Elective Home Education
LA = Local Authority
EHCNA = Education, health and care needs assessment
EOTAS = Education other than at school
IPSEA is a charity that helps with SEND matters in England, lots of helpful information on their website, including model letters, and they have an advice line.

Did you get formal exclusion paperwork each time the school called to pick DC up? If not, they were illegal exclusions and you could have refused to pick DC up unless given formal paperwork.

Unless you actively want to EHE if you hadn’t already deregistered DC you wouldn’t have needed to in order to get alternative provision and help for DC. If DC wasn’t able to attend they didn’t have to, and the LA have a statutory duty to make alternative arrangements under s.19, Education Act 1996. However if you EHE your are making suitable arrangements and they are relieved of their duties.

If DC wants to attend MS why not tell the LA you are not EHE and ask them to put in place medical needs EOTAS tuition whilst you are applying for an EHCNA then retry MS when further support is in place.