Not keen on school but can't find many home ed options around Brighton and Hove

[Fashionista22]

My daughter will be starting reception in September and as it's getting sooner, I'm feeling more and more unsure about it. She currently goes to nursery three mornings a week while I work, which works for us.

The main things I'll find hard about school is their approach to education and not having flexibilty anymore (we often spend time away from home)

I'll be happy if she loves school and if she does I'll follow her lead but I think she'll find it hard not having the teachers full attention and it's hard to get her into nursery as it is.

I've been looking into home ed options around Brighton and Hove and joined the facebook groups etc but it seems like there are mainly groups where you meet up with other families or short classes. Private school is too expensive right now. My ideal situation would be a nursery like setting for 3 days a week where she's around the same people, doing a little learning. Does such a thing exist?

I think give school a go

She might well love and thrive

No, there wouldn't be many drop offs, especially for little kids. Most people can't afford that, as you'd be paying for childcare. Anyway, if your daughter doesn't enjoy nursery now, why would you want to seek out a nursery-like setting? I should think a small setting with a better adult-to-child ratio than school would be more expensive than a private school, which you've said is too expensive for you.

Cooperative groups where the parents stick around and are responsible for their own kids are the norm. We do run into the same people repeatedly throughout the week, but I realise that in some areas there is less going on. Does your daughter actually get lonely if she doesn't see her nursery friends enough? Some kids are perfectly happy seeing friends for just a few hours a couple of times a week, which would be easy to achieve at home ed groups.

There is a Montessori school in Brighton. I think it's quite good as they do. What's your long term goal for her though? Your idea of a nursery/school part time hybrid is ok for a reception age child but what about beyond then?

You might have more luck looking for forest schools like this https://www.beeinthewoods.co.uk/home-ed-group

It's very tricky territory somebody setting up a group where parents drop children off as they would be subject to various regulations due to them being seen as educational establishments. The red tape makes it difficult to operate.

How about Flexi schooling OP? We considered it once upon a time before deciding on full time home education (best decision we've ever made I hasten to add!).

You would need to contact as many primary schools as possible to see if Flexi is something they would be happy to accommodate.

I can't overstate the values of home education enough, it's been incredible for our family (no SEN). DC are now through A levels and very social! ☺️

Drop off home ed groups or alternate learning hub type places are pretty common ime?

A quick google shows two in Brighton - Green Oak and Bee Hub.
I know of a couple in Bristol too.

Nothing that flexible i am afraid. Hove micro school, green oak in Stanmer, bee in woods, Montessori you have to sign up from birth. There just isn’t a drop in play group set up beyond five. It sucks as there is definitely local demand for self directed learning.

Hello, I just want to add that for green oak and bee hub you really don't have to sign up from birth! Maybe Montessori you do, not sure...

We were in similar situation, wanted to flexi school but weren't able to in Brighton. Our 10 year old is really happy and thriving at Green Oak (now based in Lewes) its an offshoot from the Waldorf school that closed down in Brighton a few years back so follows the same curriculum.

It currently runs 3 days a week tues-thurs. Bee hub is similar I think but based in Brighton and goes up to age 14. Green Oak education follows through to age 16 also offering cross field examinations which are equivalent to GCSE's (meaning you can go onto college/uni etc) The great thing about Crossfield is they aren't marked on final examinations- its all based on coursework (a little like how a GNVQ was equivalent to A -levels in my day- not sure if these still exist)

There are lots of Home school whats app's in Brighton and beyond and home school is a thriving community, its just a bit of a minefield as to where to start looking for meet ups/ whats on offer. I'd suggest joining some of the face book groups and asking to join the Brighton under 11 home ed whats app group which has been really useful for us.