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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.

home visits

9 replies

chatterbocs · 03/02/2009 22:59

Hi I have a home visit tomorrow, i havae 2 girls & took them out last summer & my eldest son 12 in November.
I had an initial visit as soon as I took the girls out & have another one tomoz.
How much do you allow LEA to see?

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julienoshoes · 03/02/2009 23:07

As much as the children are happy with the LA to see-which is nothing.
The things they write are their intellectual property and if they want to share with me or anyone else, then they can, that is their choice, but thus far, they haven't wanted to share with the LA at all.

Had no problems sharing with the FE college when one chose to go there, or with the OU when the other started a course with them.

The choice of how you share information with the LA is yours entirely.
You can just discuss at the meeting, the things you are doing or you can show then work, it is entirely up to you.
You can have the children present or not-up to you.

But then I am assuming you know you don't have to have the meeting at all don't you?
Again, that is up to you.

Some folks have children who love meeting with the LA and showing work, that is great, as it suits their family.
Other choose not to meet with the LA at all, preferring instead to send in a written educational philosophy and report instead.

chatterbocs · 03/02/2009 23:24

Yes I know that I don't have a visit. Just wondering what everyone else does?
I know they don't have to follow curriculum etc. How much do you discuss, if you don't show any work? I know the general gist of the laws but wouldn't be able to quote verse by verse if they tried to heavy handed.
Not sure if with all the latest hoo-ha whether visits will become compulsory though.

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Kayteee · 03/02/2009 23:33

We refuse visits. If they ever get in touch with me I firmly, but politely, request everything in writing (which they are obliged to do). Then I reply, in writing, asking them to quote the section of the law which states that we have to let them into our home etc; They never reply
We don't follow the NC either so they have to make do with written Educational Philosophies (from me). I write these in the form of a report on our chosen style of HomeEd, which is pretty autonomous. I just list the sort of activities/hobbies/clubs
and such so they have something for their records. hth.

chatterbocs · 03/02/2009 23:56

W£hen you write to them,how long is your letter that lists activities etc.
I don't have a philosophy as such, they do maths & English everyday, meet up for footie at the soccerdome then we do Sign Language another day & the rest is whatever we feel like doing, maybe a science experiment or something like that.

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Kayteee · 04/02/2009 00:18

Have a look on Education Otherwise website. They have some very helpful sample letters, written by genuine HomeEdders. I found them extremely useful in putting mine together.
Most families I know seem to opt for this way of communicating as it's less confrontational (not that I'm a shrinking violet) but also gives you time to construct what you want to say in your own time.
I've sent in 2 reports on over 3 years and it appears to shut them up

Kayteee · 04/02/2009 00:20

P.S.
If you wanted to you could always cancel the visit tomorrow and give yourself some time to think about it.

chatterbocs · 04/02/2009 07:15

Thanks Kaytee, I think I'll just keep with the visit today, last time they came they were friendly and in support of Home Ed. I have got quite a lot to tell them but I think I'll just write next time.
I was jut wondering if how much work, if any will shut 'em up as you say.

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Mehetabel · 05/02/2009 18:50

I used to have visits, and one year I carefully kept a diary, wrote loads, put in lots of photos, and when they came they just glanced at a couple of pages. I was really fed up - all that work for them to not even bother looking!

Soon after I told them I would prefer no more visits, so we haven't had any for the last 13 years

chatterbocs · 05/02/2009 22:22

Hi, the visit went really well on the whole, they were delighted with what we've been doing and remarked that we are "amazing". However, I did feel slightly uncomfortable with some of the questions that were asked. They asked the children how they felt they were progressing, also compared to school how much work did they do. They asked me how I would know how much progress they are making. They also said to my son when you came home from school, it was quite late in the afternoon, how does been educated at home compare to that. So I wasn't to comfy with that part of the visit.
If you do allow a visit, are they allowed to ask those kinds of questions, I know that there are guidelines.
I would be interested in you opinions.

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