Are you sitting here considering home education?
Perhaps you have been building up to this moment after a long history through primary school into secondary – and realise that things are just not working out for your child.
At first, it can feel quite isolating. But rest assured, you have options. It’s worth thinking through the practicalities of going down this pathway if you have reached this point.
What is Homeschooling?
Sometimes, it’s called home education, or elective home education.
A bit of a mouthful, but basically it’s when you decide to remove your child out of the school system to educate them at home.
Taking full responsibility for your child’s learning is a legal entitlement that you have.
That said, the Government stipulates that you must deliver a suitable and effective education – which doesn’t have to include the National Curriculum.
For many parents who contact us, teaching your own children everything yourself is fraught with tricky issues which we’ll touch on later.
But first, why are over 92,000-plus children currently being educated at home?
What is the Problem?
Many homeschooling requests we receive from worried parents are because of several key issues:
- Anxiety
- Bullying
- Health reasons
- Learning issues such as ADHD, PDA and Autism
- Dissatisfaction with local school options
- Excessive school sanctions rather than problem confronted
Every one of these issues is an emotional minefield as every child is different.
But what we do know is that the journey to this point is usually a complicated one that has eroded a child’s confidence over time.
So, electing for home schooling, involves much more than simply giving your child some work or a link and hoping that’s sufficient.
The issues your child has experienced to date need careful handling. Luckily, there is always a way forward.
Don’t look back…
Instead of looking at the negatives, there are plenty of positives such as more freedom, a happier child, a personalised education…
In our next blog, we’ll address some of these benefits and which pitfalls to avoid when embarking on home education.
Need to Talk?
As ever, if you are thinking about homeschooling and just want someone to talk to, please get in touch with our caring team who have helped scores of parents just like you over the years.
Further reading: In the News
Image courtesy of the Good School Guide
Tags: alternative education, anxiety, Bullying, elective home education, home education, stress