declining school allocation for home ed

[pinkkoala]

i have to send allocation back to LEA to decline dd school place for sept as we are going to home ed.

i have put on the form about home schooling do you think it is wise to tell them this or just say no to place, i have a fear the LEA will pressure me into sending her to school, will they check me out and family members to see if i am able to do this as a lot of family are against the idea.

i need to post the form by monday, so all help appreciated.

another think to bear in mind is that grandparents in their own lives have that whole at-two-removes thing going on with their friends about how the grandchildren are "growing up so fast" and "(s)he'll be off to school soon" blah blah, so that you deciding not to send a child to school at the obvious age suddenly means that in their conversations with their hairdresser or whoever, they find themself all wrong footed and having to say "oh, no, (s)he isn't going into reception in September".

So instead of the narrative about the grandchildren being nice and conventional and grandparents feeling like they understand what's going on, suddenly there's an alien narrative going on.

Not that this should make any difference at all to your decision, but it might go some way to explaining the defensive reaction of extended family - because you are leaving the expected script.

kaytee- thanks have seen email will have more detailed look at sites when dd asleep.
blisworth is only 2 miles from me so that is good to know.

hi,

can anyone give me some advice again please.

i have just had phone call from school admissions team noting that we have declined a school place for dd who is due to start sept.
they have put me through to home schooling dept for LEA and i have spoke to someone asking questions like name, dob my details etc for their record is this normal.

also i have been told to submit a letter in writing to EWO who will want to see evidence of what work our dd is doing and i have 40 days in which to do this, also they may want to come out and visit or it may be a case of no further questions asked, our dd isn't 5 til december.

i am getting nervous already at the thought of someone coming round.

If your child is not yet school age, then it's not reasonable of them to ask to see evidence of the work she's doing - she doesn't have to be doing anything educational until January.

I would write to them and explain that she will not be compulsory school age until January, and that you will contact them again later to let them know about how you plan to provide her education.

You don't have to agree to a home visit if you don't want one - some people have them because they find it simpler than writing out what you're doing/planning to do, but you don't have to if you'd rather do it in writing (or meet them somewhere else). An advantage of doing everything in writing is that you can get advice first on here, and you have a note of exactly what you've said.

AMIS is correct.
You don't have to have a home vist at al.
We have never had one in eight years of home educating.
Instead we send in a written philosphy and report.

Was it the schools admissions office that told you to write to the EWO etc?
I would guess that is because they don't actually know the law about home ed.

i think it was from someone in the home ed dept at the the LEA who i spoke to as the schools admission team put me through to them.

our dd won't be 5 til december, but she is already doing workbooks, writing her name, i have also got a big alphabet poster on the kitchen door so she sings the abc song, she can count, knows all about the weather and we have got her the leapfrog clickstart computer and the v smile computer systems and she learns while she plays.

i am worried that the LEA will think she isn't doing enough and they will insist she goes to school, i am not very confident around official people.

If you're not confident with officials, it might be best to contact your local home ed group and see if someone more experienced could be there too for the meeting. Or else do it all in writing so they can't get you flustered by hitting you with questions you don't feel ready for.

FWIW it sounds like you're already doing loads of things with her which are good education - they are the sorts of things she'd learn about in school, which is the most they could possibly ask for!

pinkkoala - they have absolutely no business asking you for anything.

You write back and say

"thank you for your letter

as you are aware, my daughter reaches the age of compulsory education the term after her fifth birthday. I will be delighted to communicate with you about her educational provision after that point, and will look forward to hearing from you in due course.

yours sincerely."

If you feel really cheeky, you could add a sentence:

"I enclose a copy of the 2007 Guidelines on Home Education for LAs link for your information."

Do not promise visits, work, timetables, plans or anything at this stage. By the time your child is of compulsory school age, you may have very different feelings than now about what sort of evidence you might be prepared to provide to this bunch of incompetent jobsworths about what sort of educational provision you are making. And yes, I stand by "incompetent jobsworths". They have no business asking you for anything at all yet. Completely outside their legal remit.

Just shows-just because they work for the dept that deals with home ed, doesn't mean they understand the law!
Either that or some officials try and make you believe the law says what they would like it to.

I'll be kind though and go with ommmwards "incompetent jobsworths".

I agree with ommmward completely.

Just shows-just because they work for the dept that deals with home ed, doesn't mean they understand the law!
Either that or some officials try and make you believe the law says what they would like it to.

I'll be kind though and go with ommmwards "incompetent jobsworths".

I agree with ommmward completely.

Just shows-just because they work for the dept that deals with home ed, doesn't mean they understand the law!
Either that or some officials try and make you believe the law says what they would like it to.

I'll be kind though and go with ommmwards "incompetent jobsworths".

I agree with ommmward completely.

morning,

i have just had a call from the EWO who has told me she will send a pack out to me which i have to fill in and say what sort of education my dd is going to get, it has to be varied and show some evidence.

i have told her she isn't 5 til dec but she doesn't appear to be listening.

she has said that it can be turned down and that she may not think dd is gaining by being at home, but then she says that every parent has a legal right to home ed, i am getting totally confused.

she has said that she doesn't need to visit and if it has been agreed that i can home i won't hear from her until another year.

has anybody else had to fill in a pack and return and what does it contain.

i may need some help filling in the form.

They sound a right bunch!
Just to repeat what we've been round before - IT CANNOT BE TURNED DOWN! It does not have to be agreed, by the EWO or anyone else. And they cannot "turn you down" because you are not asking them, you are telling them.

You are exercising your legal right, and that of every parent in the UK. You've told them that you're doing it. End of.

They can ask for info though, but it's up to you what you tell them and how. When the pack arrives, you can let us know what it says and what sort of form they've given you, and we can give you advice on how to fill it out.

thankyou,

i feel i am getting worried about all this and not being able to enjoy what i have chosen.

i thought they would be a bit more open minded, but i think as it is not the norm people are not always that open minded.

also she hasn't actually been registered for a school as we declined her place we were offered.

the EWO has also said that she needs to be working towards ks1 as if she was at normal school, but from the info i have read on other websites they don't need to follow structued learning as long as they are learning the equivalent for their age, is this correct.

has anybody else found it difficult to do home ed, or have your LA, been pretty reasonable.

You don't have to follow any structure, and if you do choose to have a structure it doesn't have to be the NC. The only requirement is for you to give her an education suitable for he age and abilities.

I suspect your LEA find that they can put most people off the whole idea of HE with this approach - you just have to know your rights and stand your ground, and they will realise that they can't steamroller you into doing things their way.

I've been lucky because our LEA have never got in contact!

you lucky thing,

the EWO has said that if it is ok we won't hear from them again for another year.

how can i provide evidence of what she is doing, for example her workbooks, arty/crafty stuff all of this i have kept but if they don't come out how can they see what she is doing.

how could i word a letter that politely tells them that i have a right to do this and its not a case of if they think i am suitable. surely they must have the legal requirements and know that i can choose to do this.

I'd probably wait till the pack comes and see what they're asking for. It might be that the paperwork makes the legal position rather clearer than what they've been saying to you so far, which sounds aimed to make you give up before you start!

But when the pack arrives, you can see what sort of form it is and think about what you want to say to them.

If you don't want them coming to the house, then you'll just need to tell them the sorts of things she's been doing - like levels of workbooks etc. They shouldn't be asking for "evidence", just an outline of how you are making sure she gets an education, so if you tell them about the kinds of things you've been doing, they should be fine with that. The form might be divided up into "subjects", but don't worry if you aren't working like that - you can always do as others have done before you and write "not applicable" in every section, then write them a letter saying how you're going about it instead!

If their paperwork makes it sound like you're having to ask permission, then I'd add in a letter at that stage making it clear that you know the law and that you are telling them about what you're doing, not asking. If you get any more nonsense, one answer is to ask them to explain exactly where it ways that in the law on HE, or the guidelines to LEA's. It's also worth printing that out and having your own copy, so you know exactly how things are worded. Then you can quote the relevant bits in letters, which lets them know they won't be able to flannel you!

When the pack comes it will probably contain a questionnaire-it usually does.
I'd fill in the bare necessities of name age and address and I would send it back with the rest unfilled in.
They cannot make you send them information in any particular way.
I would also send a letter in to them saying

Thank you for your information pack and enquiries about the education we are providing for our daughter..........

We are aware of the duties placed upon us, as parent, under Section 7 of the Education Act 1996 to ensure that we provide an efficient, full-time education, suitable to XX?s age, ability, aptitude and any special educational needs she may have.
However as our daughter is not yet of complusary school age, we do not yet have an obligation to provide you with information.

Further, case law shows that an allowance of a period of preparation for families to settle into their home based education is necessary, and this was taken into account in the Perry Case in which Lord Slade said:

"Prima facie this opportunity will appropriately be given (as was done in the present case) if the Authority, having first allowed the parents a sufficient time to set in motion their arrangements for home education,"

(R v Gwent County Council Court of Appeal (Civil Division) 10 July 1985 JUDGEMENT BY-1: SLADE LJ)

Once our daughter is of compulsory school age and we have settled in to our home based education I will supply you with information about the education we are providing. I will contact you with this information by.........you insert date, I'd suggest something like December, when she would have normally have been in school for three months....

Yours etc

This will give you time to decide how you want to provide them with evidence.
Many families choose to have a home visit and that is fine, but as the law stands it is your choice whether to have a home visit or not.
Some parents choose not to have a visit and send in a written report with their educational philosophy instead.

This may change in the future. The Government has ordered a review of home education, which is taking place at the moment and some fear the laws may change-but they haven't changed yet!
LAs do know this, but many LAS try it on at this stage and try and dictate how you provide information and try to persuade you that they have the right to decide if your child can be home educated.
They do not.

We have been home educating for eight years, we have never had a home visit and never provided any work-the children have never wanted to, so we have listened and respected their choices.
Our local LA sent a pack, much as you are describing in the first place, but backed off once we showed them that we knew the law.
They have declared themselves satisfied with the 'ed phil' and report we have sent each year since then.

Wait for the pack to arrive. When it does, read it carefully and compare it with the guidelines for LAs which I linked to in an earlier post.

you then write back and say

1. please explain to me why you have sent me this stuff already when my child doesn't reach compulsory school age until January

and any of the following which are relevant:

1. I don't understand why you say you need to inspect and approve my educational provision when the guidelines say that you have no duty to monitor. Have I misunderstood the legal position?

1. I don't understand why you say I need to prepare my daughter for/ follow the KS1 syllabus when the guidelines say that instead I should provide an education suitable to the age, aptitude and ability of my child. Have I misunderstood?

In other words, for everything this idiot demands of you which is illegal, you write oh so charmingly and say "I think I must be misunderstanding the law. Please could you explain to silly little me on what basis you are asking for x, y and z?". The idiot will get much quieter once she realises you know the law.

Oh and, almost most importantly, you say in your next letter to them that, in future, they mayu only correspond to you by letter. It's really imoprtant for you to have a record of what they are saying because this woman can deny all knowledge of something she said in a phone call or face to face, or say "oh no, of course I didn't mean [whatever outrageous thing she demanded], I just meant a friendly offer of assistance".

The next thing you need to do is get in touch with local home educators. They also will have encountered the LA and will be able to give you advice and support - together we stand divided we fall, yk? Yours may be one of those notorious LAs who try to act illegally the entire time because the staff think all children should be in school.

Oh, and here's the one thing you weren't expecting when you began to consider HEing. I think almost every HEer becomes politicised, dissident, less pro-state than they were before. Because here is the law of the land and here are the State employees responsible for acting within those laws in their daily professional lives, who will do just about anything they can to avoid keeping within the law although they know bloody well what those laws are. They are supposed to be public servants, working for us, instead of which, they do everything they can to expand their own little empire which means treating us like supplicants rather than their employers. Grrr.

[end of insane rant]

Julie's letter is better than mine

With one caveat. Don't tell them you'll send them anything in December. Say that once your child reaches compulsory school age, they will of course be welcome to make written enquiries about your educational provision. That way they are the ones who have it on their to-do list for months and months, not you and also it makes it clear that intimidation by phone or visit is not acceptable.

I'd go along with ommwards caveat
Make them do the work!

i have just received the pack from EWo today, it says i need to provide wrritenn evidence of what i plan to do and how i am going to cover all the topics. it also says that if they are not satisfied they will write and let me appeal and then if they a re still not satisfied they can force me to register her at a school, here are some questions

1. what a re your short and longer term plans.
2. how do you provide for your childs physical development.
3. how is the work to be organised.
4. are you likely to enlist the support of a tutor.
5. how will you record your childs progress/dificulties.

they have also sent a form to say what extra curricular activities she is doing as they say she needs the social and stimulus of other children, as yet she is only 4 and we have just started this so all she does is plays with the children next door, we have consider stage classes(acting, dancing and singing) but as yet haven't got her in to anything, will this go against me.

please help, as panicing.

OK - step 1 is "Don't panic!" . They are acting way outside the law and the guidelines in making it sound as if they have the right to forbid you to HE your child, or that there is any concept of you appealing or them forcing you to register her at school.

As to the rest of it, they can ask about topics, PE, etc, but they can't require you to fill out the questionnaire, or hold it against you. You are allowed to provide them the information in any format you want. AND the law only applies to children who have reached compulsory school age, which she hasn't.

I would reply to them following the suggestions of Julie's letter above - make it clear that you are not going to be bullied by them.

So, thank them for the pack, explain again that your dd is not yet compulsory school age. State that you intend to provide her with an education suitable for her age, abilities and aptitudes, and tell them to contact you again in December once you have started HE.

DO NOT PANIC

What they have asked for - every single bit of it - is completely and utterly illegal. They are trying to intimidate you.

Send then Julie's letter with my caveat about them being welcome to contact you in writing once your child reaches compulsory school age.

If you feel riled by their letter, you could also ask them to explain why they are asking you to provide information which falls so far outside the legal requirements, and enclose a print out of those guidelines I linked to before, for their information. The thing is, you are here, you have independent people who know the law and will support you (that's us). What about all the people who are completely intimidated by this sort of letter? I know people who would consider taking the writer of the letter to court, arguing that it's only when these stooges are prosecuted that they'll begin to observe the law. [and for LA employees, you could substitute fraudulent MPs or bullying teachers or or or...]