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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.

Original poster

Can my home ed DC join the local primary school after-school choir?

108 replies

PerspicaciousGreen · 05/02/2023 08:19

We're thinking of having my DC join a just-for-fun choir. Our local primary school is just round the corner and has a no-audition choir for it's pupils. My thinking is that if schools can allow flexi-schooling at their discretion then in theory they could allow attendance at after-school clubs at their discretion too. It might be nice in the future if they could join a sports club too.

Has anyone else done this? Any advice on how to make the enquiry to make it most successful?

Also, we are currently unknown to the LA. Does the school have a duty to notify the LA if I pop up with my home ed children, or can I ask them not to? I'm not too bothered about it, but it seems like a PITA I'd prefer not to deal with.

OP posts:
Forever42 · 05/02/2023 11:13

No, if it's free it will be taught by school staff. Completely inappropriate for a random kid to turn up. School staff are responsible for the safeguarding of children on-roll at their school, not random other children. If you choose to home educate you cannot take advantage of free resources provided by schools for their own students.

You could look for a local church choir or search for children's choirs, glee clubs etc in your area.

Soproudoflionesses · 05/02/2023 11:14

We wouldn't allow this at all but if you don't ask, you will never know

tornadoinsideoutfig · 05/02/2023 11:18

I think it depends if children from other schools that don't offer the same opportunity can join. If they can't then your child can't. Can you start a group in your local homeschooling community?

RelentlessForwardProgress · 05/02/2023 11:19

Flipping heck there are some harsh replies on here.

My DC's are in an after school club where a home-schooled child attends. The mum home schools because the child has some issues that meant school life was not working for them. Its taken their family a lot of sacrifices to do this, in no way do I think they are CF's!! Their mum is committed to trying to give them lots of experiences and social interactions and good for them.......

However, I do think the fact that it is an after school club makes it quite tricky for the child. If the school have been on a trip that day, or had a sports event, or other similar event, then the home school child does get upset that they feel left out. Because the children are naturally talking about something they have experienced that day. So for example recently they had a special day for Chinese new year where they had a Chinese banquet for lunch, and they had a Dragon Dance Workshop, and they all piled into after school club with their masks etc and the home school child was sad about this. In a way its like showing the home school child what they are missing out on every week! So I think a choir made up of children from different schools on a weekend for example, might be kinder for the child.

catsonahottinroof · 05/02/2023 11:20

Your local council music centre, usually run on Saturday mornings in a local secondary school, might have a choir. These aren't free but they are fairly cheap.

poobaloo · 05/02/2023 11:28

You need to find a local children's choir that's run by the music service or maybe a church.
I highly doubt the school would say yes, and it's not that best place for your DC anyway. They'd have no friends there, and wouldn't be able to perform in any concerts etc.

Suedomin · 05/02/2023 11:29

The LA could sort some funding, after all the parents doing home ed are saving them money.
But these children are not known to the LA and the OP doesn't want them to be on their radar.

peeweechigs · 05/02/2023 11:31

Why is your child not known to the LA? Have they never been to school? Who is checking you are providing an education for them?

cestlavielife · 05/02/2023 11:38

See section 5 the LEA has a duty to knowabput your dc

5.1 Your local authority has no formal powers or duty to monitor the provision of

education at home. However, it does have a statutory duty (under s.436A of the

Education Act 1996) to make arrangements to enable it to establish the identities, so far

as it is possible to do so, of children in its area who are not receiving a suitable

education. The relevant local authority with responsibility for education will either be the

single-tier authority for the area in which you live (for example a unitary authority or

London borough) or the upper-tier authority for the area in which you live (for example,

the county council rather than a district council). There are 152 such local authorities with

education responsibilities in England as at March 2019, decreasing to 151 from April

5.2 The simple fact that a child is being educated at home does not mean that he or she

is not receiving a suitable full-time education. However, in order to fulfil their section 436A

duty, local authorities are entitled to make informal enquiries of parents to establish what

education is being provided.

5.3 The local authority is therefore likely to make such enquiries if it becomes aware that

you are educating a child at home - or may be doing so. As parents you are under no

legal obligation to respond, but if you do not, the local authority is entitled to conclude

from the absence of any response that it appears that your child is not receiving a

suitable education, with all the consequences which can follow from that (see below).

cestlavielife · 05/02/2023 11:39

www.gov.uk/government/publications/elective-home-education

Speak to the lea

viques · 05/02/2023 11:44

Oh go for it OP. While you are at it you could ask if your child is eligible for free school meals as well.

Johnnysgirl · 05/02/2023 11:45

No, they wouldn't allow this even if there were spaces available, which is unlikely.
It's quite odd to refuse to enter your child into the school system yet think you can cherry pick the fun parts?

Milkand2sugarsplease · 05/02/2023 12:57

No, random children cannot just rock up to the bits that suit. Clubs are out on by teachers, in their own time, for the children in their school, not for other children to rock up to because they fancy it.

Original poster
PerspicaciousGreen · 05/02/2023 17:57

Thanks for the replies. We aren't known to the LA because we happen to have moved area and haven't purposefully registered with the new one. They've never been to school. I assume they'll "discover" us at some point, which is fine by me really, but it'd be nice not to have to take time out of educating my kids to do paperwork if I don't have to.

I hadn't considered the funding issue. We'd be happy to pay, actually. Other choir options are much further away, whereas the school is round the corner, so other options would be a bigger commitment as a family. More time travelling, less time doing other more important things. But I appreciate as well that the safeguarding/responsibility issue for the school might make it a no.

It's good to know about the schools perspective on the difficulties this might cause for them. I think I will still ask but assume they'll probably say no.

OP posts:
Muchtoomuchtodo · 05/02/2023 18:03

Funny how the money side of things is the main point that you’ve picked up on.

Do let us know how you get on.

Mangledrake · 05/02/2023 18:15

I don't see why you shouldn't ask. Choir could be teacher-run, private, church linked. Space could be insured for other kids or not. Asking nicely while understanding a no is very possible would be very reasonable.

You're obviously saving the state money educating at home, and I presume your kids would comply with all club regs and requirements, or school could end agreement. Nothing cheeky about it that I can see.

Sherrystrull · 05/02/2023 18:15

Most families spend lots of time travelling to activities and filling forms in. It's a normal part of life.

Johnnysgirl · 05/02/2023 18:20

More time travelling, less time doing other more important things. 😂
You realise most school children (after a day spent in the classroom) travel to after school activities? It's a perfectly normal thing to do.
Your child has the day free to schedule as you please, for all your important things...

Nocutenamesleft · 05/02/2023 18:34

PerspicaciousGreen · 05/02/2023 08:19

We're thinking of having my DC join a just-for-fun choir. Our local primary school is just round the corner and has a no-audition choir for it's pupils. My thinking is that if schools can allow flexi-schooling at their discretion then in theory they could allow attendance at after-school clubs at their discretion too. It might be nice in the future if they could join a sports club too.

Has anyone else done this? Any advice on how to make the enquiry to make it most successful?

Also, we are currently unknown to the LA. Does the school have a duty to notify the LA if I pop up with my home ed children, or can I ask them not to? I'm not too bothered about it, but it seems like a PITA I'd prefer not to deal with.

I'd think they'd pick up safeguarding if you asked them to not report you to your local authority and I say this as a home ed mum!

MichelleScarn · 05/02/2023 18:45

PerspicaciousGreen · 05/02/2023 17:57

Thanks for the replies. We aren't known to the LA because we happen to have moved area and haven't purposefully registered with the new one. They've never been to school. I assume they'll "discover" us at some point, which is fine by me really, but it'd be nice not to have to take time out of educating my kids to do paperwork if I don't have to.

I hadn't considered the funding issue. We'd be happy to pay, actually. Other choir options are much further away, whereas the school is round the corner, so other options would be a bigger commitment as a family. More time travelling, less time doing other more important things. But I appreciate as well that the safeguarding/responsibility issue for the school might make it a no.

It's good to know about the schools perspective on the difficulties this might cause for them. I think I will still ask but assume they'll probably say no.

I may be picking you up up wrong,

But with your phrase the LEA will 'discover you at some point' do see you're getting one over them so far?

And if you don't like paperwork how will your dc have any record of qualifications or exams?

Johnnysgirl · 05/02/2023 19:03

Isn't it a requirement for home schooled children to be registered as such with the LA? You can't just go off grid because you don't fancy the paperwork!
Be very careful, op, what looks like hiding your child from the authorities will ring alarm bells when they do notice you.

toomuchlaundry · 05/02/2023 19:11

Why are you not happy for them to go to a school for education but happy to go to a school for activities?

fUNNYfACE36 · 05/02/2023 19:28

You pays your money and you makes your choice.And you chose to home. Ed.
You really take the biscuit for CFery!

HufflepuffRavenclaw · 05/02/2023 19:30

Yeah the funding isn’t the issue with your plan if asking whether you non school attending kids can join the school choir.

Onedayatatime22 · 05/02/2023 19:37

Silverbook · 05/02/2023 10:43

I’ve ever been this blunt but there’s a first for everything…

you come across as a PITA CF.

You want your child to opt into a benefit that’s for children who attend school but only if you can remain unknown to the LA?!

This! And the fact that you want your kids remain unknown by the LA is a massive red flag for me