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31st May 2010

Home Education

According to the current law in England, parents have a legal responsibility to ensure that their children receive an education suitable to their "age, aptitude and ability".  This education does not need to be in a school environment. Many children in the UK are now educated at home (and outside of the home - the world is their classroom) by their parents.

Home-Education (also known as homeschooling), is rising in popularity in England.  The motivation for this rise are diverse and wide-ranging - A failing school system, bullying, special needs, and religious views, are just a few of the reasons I have been given by families choosing to take up the legal option of home-educating their children.

To read more about how the law regarding home-education stands in England at the moment, visit the Education Otherwise website (opens in new window).

To dispel just a few myths surrounding home-education in England:

1.  You don't have to be a teacher, or indeed hold any form of teaching qualification.  What you do need is an unconditional love for your children, enthusiasm to help them succeed, and a willingness to learn alongside them and provide opportunities for their growth.

2.  You don't have to follow the National Curriculum, or indeed a curriculum of any sort.  There are various curriculums available to purchase should parents decide that to be the route they wish to follow, but in law (as it stand now - January 2010), freedom is given to parents and their children to learn what they wish to - in order to provide that "suitable education to suit age, aptitude and ability."

3.  Socialisation isn't an issue.  There are numerous groups around the country providing weekly, fortnightly, and monthly get-togethers and outings especially for home-educated families.  Coupled with the fact that home-educated children are as welcome as any to join in with groups such as Cubs, Scouts, Brownies, Guides, Woodcraft Folk, Dance Lessons, Drama groups, Football clubs, etc etc etc - and socialisation, or lack of, should never be a reason against Home-Education.  Just don't get me started on the whole school being a false environment and limiting socialising opportunities thing...

FAQ's about Home-Education

These are the questions that we are asked the most when out and about.  This section will no doubt be added to frequently...

Q. Do you have to be a teacher?

A. No, you don't have to have any teaching qualifications at all to take responsibility for the education of your own children.

Q. Do you have to follow the National Curriculum?

A. No, you don't have to follow any set curriculum. There are no guidelines of what you must teach. Some prefer to follow a curriculum, whilst others are child-led and follow the children's interests. There are many ways of home-educating and deciding what and how to learn is often the trickiest part.

Q. Are you checked by Ofsted?

A. No. We personally have an Education officer visit us once a year. Not all home-educators do though. You don't have to accept visits as the law stands at the moment. You can "prove" that you are meeting the legal requirements for providing a suitable education by written means, for example an educational philosophy, or examples of work etc. Some home-educators aren't known to the relevant authorities.

Q. Is it expensive to teach your children at home?

A. It is as expensive as you make it :o) You don't "need" anything special - a computer is always useful, the internet is a wonderful learning tool. But local libraries are a huge source of learning materials, and are free to join. We spend some money each year on joining organisations such as The National Trust, English Heritage and the Devon Wildlife Trust, as we believe these offer a great deal of educational value. The children partake in "out of school" activities such as Brownies, so there are the usual costs there. But it isn't expensive to Home-Educate, anyone can do it. One thing to bear in mind though, is that it usually means that one parent is at home and not in the workplace. This can of course mean a lack of salary - but there are many families that work around this with part time hours or working from home.

Q. Will your children be able to socialise? How will they make friends?

A. This question always makes me laugh, although it frustrates me a little too. Contrary to belief - we don't lock our children under the stairs away from the outside world. Is socialising just done in school? No of course not. Home-educated children go to the same clubs and groups as school-children, play in the same parks, are part of the same football team or dance troop. Not being in a classroom all day is not going to stop them building the necessary social skills. Then there are home-ed groups. There are many groups across the country (well, the world of course, but for the purpose of this review I'll concentrate on the UK). Some are just social get-togethers, where the children meet up and play whilst the adults chat and share advice or experiences. Other groups have activities on offer - maybe art or crafts, science experiments, or music. At our group for example we have done copper beating, drama, keyboard playing, first aid training, animal handling, visited various places including the aquarium, a bird conservation trust, and historic houses, and much more. Being taught at home doesn't mean living in isolation.

Q. What about exams?

A. There are many different ways that home-educated children can enter the exam system. In some areas, there are opportunities for them to take an exam as an outside candidate, or there are studying opportunities such as the Open University or at Night school for example. If a child wants to take exams, there are often ways of doing so, however, exams shouldn't be thought of as the be all and end all. Very often college places have been offered through other ways such as a portfolio of work and sitting an entrance exam. Home-educated children are often seen as self-motivated learners, which are much sought after by higher education providers.