At what point is my child formally registered at school?

[belindabasil]

...and therefore more difficult for me to home ed.

I was recently sent a school application form by council, I applied and DD has now been offered a place.

I have been considering home ed for a while but my DH's reservations and my concern about being able to earn any money at same time have made me think I should still apply for school to keep options open.

Now I have done research and found out more about the whole business I'm concerned that I am now already on LEA radar.

The school she has a place at have asked me to confirm the place. Now I dont know what to do as really scared I will make the wrong decision.

Can anyone help?

Thank you x x x

Once you have applied she will be on the radar and expected to take up a place somewhere once she is 5. You could withdraw at any time though.

I'm not sure if it's the same at all LEA's, I've just moved ds and was told I had to accept the place when the school contacted me. As far as I am aware, you have to contact them to tell them that you wish to home ed. If you are unsure, go and look around and talk to the head, you have the right to change your mind, nothing's set in stone. Do what you think is right for your child, just let them know.

I applied for a school place for DS to start reception. We got offered one, but I'd decided to home educate by then. I just filled in the form they sent saying that I was declining the place. There was a bit to say which school I was sending him to instead and, after much deliberation, I wrote that I was going to home educate (although other people told me they wrote something like 'private arrangements made'. That was in September/October and I haven't heard anything since from anyone.
I'm not sure whether you mean you are still trying to decide whether to HE or not, or have made that decision and want to know how to decline the place?

I want to home ed but my DH has reservations, possibly the biggest one being how we will cope without my income if I resign my job to home ed DD.

I like the idea of keeping my options open while we try and work out whether we can do this or not and I look into ways I might be able to make some money from home. And just generally a bit scared about the whole thing.

I don't home ed but I design and decorate t-shirts at home and have done other things so it depends on what your skills are.

Well...childcare and education, I am a nursery teacher so considering child minding but we only have a small bungalow so space could be an issue. I think I need to be a bit more imaginative - maybe set up an internet dating agency! (joke)

I was absolutely terrified about it while I was making the decision, so am sending you lots of sympathy. I changed my mind about 10 times a day, during the 2 weeks while I decided what to do with the wretched accept/reject school place form. DP was broadly against it, but said I could make the decision. When I finally made the decision and posted the envelope I felt so much better and (so far) have been really happy with the choice. It helped that I reassured myself it didn't have to be a 'forever' decision and I could take it one year/term/month at a time. I'm going back to work one day a week and getting a nanny - am hoping this'll work out, but do get freaked out when think about long term finances.
If it helps, the childminder we used last year, had a tiny flat, but used the space inventively and it seemed to work. I know there are home-educating childminders around, maybe on here and on the various home ed yahoo/google groups.

Thanks lilyfire, its good to hear from someone who has been in same position.

Hi belindabasil,
is part time working an option? Or night work? Or week-ends? Do you have family/friends who could care for your child for a coupla day? HE can happen at any time so you would still have lots of time to 'do' HE ? Or your child may pursue an interest whilst being cared for?

oops -- I just remembered someone who did bank/supply work at certain times of the year whilst their child was holidaying with relatives/friends etc.She often did whole weekends at work which paid as much as a whole week of working !!!

Thanks for the ideas rooftop, I'm considering all options at the moment.
Don't have any family near by and not really any suitable friends sadly and because the sort of work I do pays so poorly it's not worth paying anyone to have kids.
Still thinking...