OK I know I'm not the only one but......

[nomoreamover]

I'm new to HE and all this latest media circus is making me BRICK IT.

Sounds pathetic I know but I am seriously scared now about the future. I had enough trouble convincing people I wasn't ruining my children's lives as it was - now this is really undermining my exciting new start for DS.

I'm very worried - you guys have lived through the other reviews - seriously - is this one different like the youtube guy says it is?

Can anyone reassure me that I'm not going to end up branded a bad parent for this decision????

I have been HEdding for 3 weeks and I felt the same as you when I heard about the consultation -I immediately panicked that I would be forced into sending dd back to school.

I don't know why, but over the last couple of days my feelings have changed and I am not remotely bothered what people think of my decision. That's not like me at all -I am the definitive 'people pleaser', but the change in dd since de-reg has confirmed it's the right way to go.
I really do understand your anxiety though.

sibling - DS the same - its like the lights have suddenly come back on - hes so happy bless his darling heart. Thats why I'm so worried - I love having my happy little boy back and I desperately don;t want to make go back to a place that just didn't make him feel good about himself.

make "him" go back - duh

Relax. There are always these reviews going on. More and more people are looking to home ed after experiencing major problems with schooling, or choosing to HE from the start.

It is growing in numbers daily. This means a bigger army to fight the cause, and we will never lose the right to educate our children out of school.

Enjoy your HE experience.

Thanks poopscoop (love the name) -that's reassured me. Sorry to jump in there, nomore. Maybe we are both feeling scared because the trauma of our dc's school experience is still fresh?
Your comment about 'the lights coming back on' sums up my dd at the moment. Isn't it wonderful? I find myself welling up when I hear her laugh or sing - it's been absent for so long.

I want to take all 3 of my dcs out of school, and admire you for doing it......you have made a brillant decision and more people are doing it. Don't worry and be strong, gives people like me encouragement!

This sort of thing has certainly been going on plenty of times in the 18 months I've been home educating. I do worry a bit, but I do all I can to fight it. Fill in the current consultation document, for one thing.

I don't know what will happen in the future, but poopscoop has a really good point that our numbers are growing daily, and this makes us stronger. I wonder if this is partly making things hot up - the government must have noticed that so many people are voting with their feet!

Either way, I'm not going to stop home educating because of it. People can think what they like, you know you're doing it for the right reasons. The longer you HE for, the more you will get like this, I am sure.

Enjoy your home ed journey, and don't let the media or some ignorant government bod who knows next to nothing about home education ruin it for you. ;)

Hear Hear Musicposy.

I'm going nowhere either.

Just keep on doing what you are doing so well nomoreamover. Fill in the damn response.
Maybe write to your MP and tell them what you think of all this.

And then go and play with your lad. Go for a walk and watch the seasons pass. Do what you have loved doing with him. It is an exciting new start. Don't let the bs grind you down.

The rest of us will do our damndest to join with you and do our best to safeguard this choice.

The fat lady ain't singing yet!

There is a draft response and suggestions for writing to your MP, over on Dare To Know Blogspot if that helps.

I don't think they'll ever take away the right to Home Educate - it's quite a fundamental right of parents in the Education Act and I don't see them trying to get that changed.

I'm not a legal expert, but there are things about the way it is worded in the education act "by attendance at school or otherwise" I think, and how lots of other rules like deregistration are specifically about state schools that make me think that pupils at independent schools are actually (so far as the law is concerned) being educated "otherwise"! I don't see any government wanting to open that can of worms. Even if I'm wrong, they won't want to start up a debate about parents rights to bring up their children as they see fit - HErs apart, there are lots of very vocal groups which would jump in on that one.

AMIS you are correct in that thinking - independant schools would come under "or otherwise" as they are not required by law to follow the national curriculum. They are however I believe obliged to follow the mantra of every child matters framework...but I'm not 100% convinced of my assertion there...!

I would happily send my DCs to some of the independant preps round here as they have a much better balance between written work and outdoor pursuits like horse riding and sports etc - they also do alot more in the way of baking and sewing as stand alone subjects rather than stuffed on some carousel of "other subjects" like ICT or DT or woodwork etc where they get a week of each then swap! Sadly I am not wealthy enough to pay the fees so I am giving him the closest thing I can to that sort of education.

I think in my heart I know that if the LEA come knocking I would fly through their tests with no problem - I can teach and I do know alot about about children....what worries me is "other people" - you know - the strange glances from the neighbours or people out and about - the media, my relatives (none of whom are happy about this decision and are checking up on me almost daily!) and the fact that I am having the best time with DCs ever and I don't want to let go of that.