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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.

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Original poster

Thinking of home ed!!

22 replies

ShineyShoo · 06/02/2010 01:01

Hi all, I am thinking of home ed for my twins, they are only 8 months old at the minute but it's something I want to be prepared for!!!!

I have a 20 year old and a 16 year old who were both very bright and gifted until they started secondary school and now both have no GCSE's and school in my opinion totally failed them both. Not to mention the negative peer pressure and the way the schools seem to want to control the children rather than teach them, in my opinion just putting a sheet in front of the children and filling in missing words is hardly an eductaion, then berating the kids because of their bad behaviour when in actual fact they are bored stiff!!!!!!

It is something I am very seriously considering and currently looking into as sending my twins to school fills me with total dread.....

Can you lovely people fill me in of where I actually start and what home ed actually entails, what support networks there are out there and what are the rules on Home ed....

Thanks in advance guys!!!

OP posts:

Runnerbean · 06/02/2010 10:33

Here's your first stop.
www.education-otherwise.org

Will tell you almost all you need to know.

Where in the country are you?

ommmward · 06/02/2010 11:04

You're already doing it It's wonderful that you've thought about it so early. Now just do what you'd do anyway with pre-schoolers - lots of reading with them, lots of fun activities involving as much mess as possible, lots of opportunities for free play. And then don't stop when they turn 4, just let them lead the way in what they want to do, and they'll continue learning like sponges.

Dominique07 · 06/02/2010 11:07

What about the financial side of it? Would you have to stop working to do this, would you be relying on your DP's income then?

Original poster

ShineyShoo · 06/02/2010 14:07

Hi guys thanks for replying.
Thanks Runnerbean that is very helpful, I am in the Oldham area does anyone here have any experience of Oldham LEA's attitude towards home ed?
ommmward, that makes it sound easy and lots of fun!!!
Dominique07, I am a single parent so don't have the luxury of a second income, I am self employed and this makes it easy to work round the children, is home ed very expensive?

OP posts:

ommmward · 06/02/2010 17:31

It's exactly as expensive as you make it. Some people buy loads of posh kit, some people do it on a shoestring. You don't really need the posh kit

momofnearly2 · 06/02/2010 20:28

Hi ShineyShoo, I'm also planning on HE'ing my Ds who is only 10 months at the moment.

As well as the above link I joined the Home Ed Yahoo group for my area and found out what was going on.

I went to a couple of meet up's, feeling slightly strange going with a 10 month old, but it was great and so many people doing HE in so many different way's and learning the different approaches, Really gives you something to think about.

I'm almost certain we are going to take the Autonomous route so will just carry on with what we do every day, Reading, swimming, going to the park etc.

It will only be as expensive as you want it to be. There are loads of free things around and for us it is just usually paying for bus/petrol to get to destination. I also found (for in a few months time) trips to the zoo etc work out much cheaper if you buy annual passes, then you can just go as you please.

ommmward · 06/02/2010 22:13

We have annual passes to about three things, and we go to them ALL the time, suck the marrow out of them and then, the next year, if we're still enjoying that activity we renew, and otherwise we try something else out.

Original poster

ShineyShoo · 07/02/2010 12:06

That is very helpful momofnearly2 thank you, I think that is also what I need to do, go to some meet ups's, I will take a look into that in my area, a woman from my church has done home schooling and said there is a great support network round here so that sounds great....and the annual passes thing is a great idea....Thank you so much everyone, my mind is even more made up now, this is the route I am going to take and it looks like my journey starts here.....thank you x

OP posts:

ommmward · 07/02/2010 13:01

There was a moment a few weeks ago when I worked out that our trips to a local quite expensive educational/museum attraction had worked out at £1 a time in the last year, for me and the children added together...

appbloss · 08/02/2010 12:52

Hello!!! I have been looking into home education for the past year. Everything I have read is totally positive and I really want to take the plunge! My only problem is I haven't got a car. Also I can't seem to find any groups in the town which I live, I have been in touch with Education Otherwise and they don't have any registered with them. I live in Saffron Walden, North Essex and can't seem to find anything. I would worry so much about my two children not meeting up with other children in a similar situation. I would so appreciate any advice, do you think it would work out even if I haven't got a car and would have to rely on public transport. Thank you so much.

ommmward · 08/02/2010 18:48

we don't have a car.

There have to be people in saffron walden. You need to get in touch with CHEF - that's your local support group. Hardly anyone bothers with education otherwise tbh - it only has about 4000 members and there's a LOT more HEdders than that in the country

tide · 08/02/2010 19:02

I know it's not so close but there's lots of home educators in and around tendring/wrabness (east of Manningtree)

LauraIngallsWilder · 08/02/2010 20:44

We havent got a car either - life would be easier with but we are managing well enough without so far!

tide · 08/02/2010 21:22

am sure others are out there. If Laura could do it for Mary I'm certain you can!

appbloss · 09/02/2010 12:14

Thank you. I have sent a couple of emails to Chef but haven't had a reply as yet. I will keep on looking!! But, so reassuring to hear from other Home Eds. Thanks x

Missouri · 09/02/2010 12:29

I don't know anything about Oldham but personally I wouldn't contact any LA unless you really want the state to be involved in your life. Once you go down that path there is no going back.

appbloss · 10/02/2010 11:45

Hello! Sent my two children into school today knowing they are being tested like mad this week!!! They get so stressed about it! If I can't find any home eds here in Saffron Walden, seriously thinking about setting something up. There is nothing I can find positive about "state theory of learning" and in my heart know the right thing to do with my children is home education. Thank you all for this thread. x

sophus · 15/03/2010 16:17

Hi appbloss, i know some home eds in saffron walden, they have lots of get togethers and arent at all isolated. will try to find a way to put you in touch.

Scout19075 · 16/03/2010 08:32

Can I ask what is CHEF? (I tried the link earlier and couldn't get it to work.) My son is 4.5 months old and we're seriously considering homeschooling. We live in an area where I can't seem to find any groups/support from the research I've done on-line (but we're not far from Saffron Waldon so maybe I need to just pop along in that direction). It might sound crazy, but I'd like to get linked up with others in the area while DS is young so that we can start to get established with a group of friends and supporters for when we do start "school".

nickschick · 16/03/2010 08:36

shineysho im in oldham and i home ed.

MrsWobbleTheWaitress · 16/03/2010 12:09

It doesn't sound daft at all, scout - we started hooking up with other HEors when DD1 was 2 and I'm very glad we did!

anastaisia · 16/03/2010 13:04

not at all crazy

(I have to say that; I joined loads of HE email lists while I was still pregnant!)

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