Home education/schooling

[omfgski]

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[freckleonear]

Hope so Tasha! I wish I could do that Marley but I rent so its a no go really I'm gutted though because I love working with children (used to be a nursery nurse) and it would fit perfectly.

I'm a childminder and I rent. It shouldn't be a problem, you just need your landlord's permission.

 

[omfgski]

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[freckleonear]

Hope so Tasha! I wish I could do that Marley but I rent so its a no go really I'm gutted though because I love working with children (used to be a nursery nurse) and it would fit perfectly.

I'm a childminder and I rent. It shouldn't be a problem, you just need your landlord's permission.

I didn't know that was possible! Can I be annoying and ask how you approached it with your landlord? Did it affect his insurance or mortgage or anything? Was there any costs you had to cover to make him allow you to? Did it affect your tenancy or anything in ways i'm not thinking of? Sorry to ask you so many questions but I have spent hours googling and haven't ever managed to find clear guidance on what to do lol if I could get it all in order and he said yes it would change everything

I just sent him an email, explaining that childminding is exempt from being classed as a business as far as property use is concerned (as long as it's just one childminder, if you work with an assistant or another childminder then additional rules apply) so there would be no legal, planning, mortgage or insurance implications for him. My public liability insurance covers everything. I also explained that I would only be taking one additional child under 5 and that I would try to keep noise levels to a minimum (our downstairs neighbour is a bit of a grump about noise). He was fine with it.

 

[omfgski]

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[Aimee4311]

Hello all! I've just began thinking about my LOs educational future and I am strongly considering homeschooling. I'm reading everything I can about it before approaching OH with it, as I already know he is against it.

We talked about it briefly in the past, and he thinks that homeschooled children miss out on socialization. I don't think that's the case, especially after doing some reading.

I look forward to talking with you ladies soon!

 

[marley2580]

Welcome hun

 

[lynnikins]

Well my school appeals failed so cracking on with home-ed for now, just doing things in little bursts for him talking through words and sounds and practicing writing them. hes having fun with it though

 

[Dragonfly]

My mum just dosnt listen or get it at all. Yesterday she was going on with how great William will be in school nativity plays. I didnt bother to correct her. Sigh...now I have all this announcing AGAIN I am home schooling with the same repeat reaction , AGAIN to go through.

 

[marley2580]

I wouldn't even bother making a thing about it until he's of school age hun. Just let it come and pass without mention.

 

[Dragonfly]

Thats the plan anyway. No point having a longer headache. Shes in for a shock later next year when she starts her "which school" interrogation again. Topped with comments about how they arnt christened and wont get in to any of the good ones just the mixed one down town. Eventually ending up in "you cant do that" "they need to socialise" "you arnt smart enough" (and I am a lot smarter than her!) Its a big thing, she may go worse than I expected. Its a big step from the norm and she dosnt like moving from the norm. It would disgrace her she would feel as people will ask her. I live in a town everyone knows everyone. All mainstream. She will never understand. She didnt like the fact they where not christened and had a go at me from denting them things like holy communion, confirmation. Bad mum I am and all. How dare I not impose that on my children when no one believes it in my family. So as if that wasnt bad enough I think she has come to terms with that for now till she boils up again she will crack up . Any wonder I havnt told her I am pregnant again, I cant be assed with the negative weird scenarios she will throw at me. Because it will be the excuse not to home school also. sigh.

 

[summer rain]

Just an update from us. LEA decided to turn on us for no real reason and have threatened us with legal action, Education otherwise are helping us but even they are completely thrown by my LEA's extreme policies and behaviour. I have a truckload of evidence that they move the goalposts, make recommendations of theirs out to be legally binding when not only are they not but the law clearly states these things are not required, and that they don't respond to letters and phone calls. I am not scared of them as it is all hot air and if they did take us to court we have more than enough proof of both the education being adequate and their behaviour.

I used to advise going along with home visits but now I would advise do not do it. They will absolutely start taking the mick and trying to dictate to you and when you don't conform they start throwing threats around. At the last visit I could tell the visiting officer was coming with an agenda to say the education is inadequate especially as I had the audacity to cancel last terms visit and when she turned up anyway I wouldn't let her in. Unfortunately most other families in this borough are doormats and are happy to be bullied and pushed around when it comes to home educating their kids so not many parents are willing to stand up for them. At the moment we are taking it easy and taking a bit of an unschooling approach for a bit because I came to realise over the time we were known to the LEA I had lost sight of what I really wanted the kids to learn and felt pressured into taking their advice, advice which would then completely change at the next visit. After getting their petty vaguely threatening letter and false reports after the last visit something just clicked and I thought enough is enough. I feel much better now. Xx

 

[Tasha]

Oh my goodness SR. I am so sorry. What idiots they seem to be.

I have a feeling that my LEA are going to be the same as yours, they want a home visit too. How do I decline?

 

[Gemie]

Just thinking of you today Tasha.... I was going to ask how the home educating was going? I wondered if you're still doing it


Summer rain this scares me
Good for you! The way you're handling it is awesome

 

[marley2580]

Tasha, make sure you know your rights and just tell them 'no'. Be firm.

Summer Rain, I've heard this from a few families. I would also advise people to refuse home visits. Hope this all passes over quickly for you - it's never nice when the LEA decides to throw their weight around.

 

[summer rain]

Tasha I'd google the home education guidelines for local authorities this is the law for England as it stands at the moment, interpreted by the government into guidelines for LEAs. In several places it says clearly that LEAs have no actual duty to monitor home ed at all, and that if they choose to do this the parents are not obliged to have any contact with them at all and certainly not home visits. You can choose to meet at a neutral location such as a library or send them reports once a year or so. I would wait until they contact you regarding a visit but when they do write to them and copy and paste the relevant bits of the law. There are templates on education otherwise and some other sites too. I have since found out in this LEA area there are families who have refused home visits or any meetings at all and the LEA admit they cannot do anything about this and have to accept it, this info was in a freedom of information request made in 2009. But when families have agreed to being monitored the LEA really start throwing their weight around especially if your LEA only visits a small number of families as mine does. It's like they get desperate to retain power over those families. A neighbouring borough here has so many families known to them that its just too much hassle and they seemingly don't visit or meet with any of them xx

 

[Dragonfly]

I am actually out of this thread now since changing my plan. Probably getting preg and finding it hard with my son didnt help. And the fact he was crying becasue he has no friends and wants to go to school. I said I would never have him in a school if he didnt want to be there, why have him at home when he dosnt want to be here. I researched my area for months, there is actually nothing to do for kids here its so crap. So my kids would be looking at me with a new born crying with cabin fever while I go on like a zombie. I think it would be good for him to try a school and that way if something does happen and he dosnt want school he can get home schooled later on and actually pay attention maybe. But at this time we didnt feel it was right so enrolled him in a school and he is over the moon. I have nothing against home schooling , just dosnt suit my family. We dont even have a car to get out anywhere or places to go. So he can have somewhere to go during the day and we can do other stuff when he gets home. As I said before home school i would take a lot to do with his education. Hes a smart and sociable fella, something I never was. I think he will get so much further than I will in life as I did have learning lags in school. Not the best person to home school thats for sure. Anyway took a long decision and seems like best one for now. ANd everyone is happy in the house with it including William who is excited and keeps hugging me and saying thanks for letting me go to school.

 

[princessellie]

Oh my god! I've heard of that happening a few times aswell and kids being taken into care because the parents wouldnt let the LEA in! Scares the life out of me tbh.

You know how when you start homeschooling they say that if your child has never been in school you dont need to inform anyone but if they have then you need to get permission from the LEA? If Leyla has been in nursery, free places for 3-5 and has her name down for a school but has never actually attended, does that count as being in school? So do I have to get permission now?

 

[freckleonear]

You do not ever have to get "permission" from the LEA, as home education is a legal right. As she hasn't actually started school you don't need to formally deregister, you can just let them know that you no longer require the place. However, attending nursery or applying for a school place can sometimes make you "known" to the LEA.

 

[princessellie]

Hmm maybe I am thinking about actually taking a child out of school. I heard that you will generally be allowed to but that you have to ask. Can't even remember where I read that actually but it was right when I first started looking into homeschooling. Oh well, hopefully my LEA will be positive about homeschooling x