Home ed in France - is it legal?

[mrsmalumbas]

Hi

We are thinking of taking a year "out" as a family to go and rempage around Europe, mainly France. DD's will be about 9 and 6 when we go. It will sort of be an educational holiday so I'd like to homeschool - anyone got any idea if homeschooling is considered legal in France as I understand it isn't elsewhere e.g Germany?

Also does anyone know how the UK authorities would view us going off for a year and then trying to reinsert our DD's into the UK system?

We are very happy with their current schooling set up (small, rurual school) but just want to experience a different sort of life for a year or so.

Would welcome any thoughts... thanks.

Its legal in France, but you have to register with the school office (unlike uk). UK school authorities shouldn't care.

you are right that HE isnt legal in Germany - there were several court cases last time I checked, and the only people who got away with it were qualified teachers, lived in US bases, kept their heads down etc.

This site gives information about the requirements for Home Education in France - you have to register, and be inspected, and cover the same as children do in their school system.

But I suspect those requirements may be for French citizens, and might not be applied to temporary visitors to the country - there are a couple of email addresses on the site so you could try asking them.

If you are living abroad, the UK authorities have no say in how you educate your children, but they would not have to keep a school place open for your children while they are away, so you'd be taking a chance on them getting a place in your chosen school when you return.

Thank you!

I must admit we are really thinking of a year "out" so would prefer any homeschooling that we do to be very informal and based around things like learning the language, trips to the market, shopping, and generally just hanging out! So the idea of having to follow a formal curriculum does not really appeal. Maybe as you say it would not apply if we were only there for a year.

I know what you mean about the UK system here but am going to have a meeting with DD's head teacher anyway and sound him out. My DD's year group at school is only 11 kids and the year below only 4 so I am thinking of suggesting she effectively drops down a year when we return - she is a late August birthday so think this might be workable. But realistically yes I understand that the idea of them being able to actually "keep" a place for her is not likely.

Of course at the back of my mind is the idea that if we like homeschooling we might just carry on and not come back into the system at all. But at this stage I'd like to keep my options open.

Anyway thanks for the link, lots to consider!