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Increasing numbers of parents are deciding to take control of their children's education, and provide home schooling. Contrary to popular belief, this is entirely legal according to the 1996 Education Act for England and Wales, and the 1980 Education Standard Act for Scotland. Children with special educational needs may also be legally educated at home.
A decision to educate at home can:
provide extra support in a subject area the young person is having problems with.
offer an alternative when there are no suitable schools in the area
be an overall preference. Some people simply prefer to educate or learn at home.
Whatever the reason, home schooling appears to be gathering pace. There are an estimated 150,000 young people currently being educated at home, and this number is predicted to rise by 3 percent each year.
If a young person is happy in school and achieving their potential, there is probably no reason to consider any alternative to school. Unfortunately, many young people are bored or frustrated in school, and some struggle to understand what they are taught or may not be in step with the pace at which teaching takes place. Some may be far advanced and some may fall behind. In addition, some young people may have behavioural difficulties, health or mental health related reasons for being educated at home.
How do young people learn at home?
The method of learning that you choose to adopt is entirely up to parent and child; you can use any approach that you consider to be suitable. Most home educating families use a mixture of formal and informal methods as detailed below, but unlike school, methods can be kept flexible and tailored to match need.
Some parents may wish to teach in a formal manner:
a fixed timetable keeping school hours and terms can be maintained.
a curriculum can be based on traditional school subjects, perhaps the national curriculum.
This approach is suitable where the family appreciates the sense of stability offered by a routine. Also, if a return to school is likely in the future, many families prefer to plan their education in a similar way to school, and with reference to the national curriculum. Sometimes a structured approach is the young person's choice.
Other families take advantage of the fact that home-educated children do not have to follow the national curriculum or a timetable, allowing them far greater flexibility. They may choose a more informal approach:
allows the young person to determine the areas of study and to decide how, when and what to learn, using individual interests and natural curiosity as a starting point.
children whose enthusiasm for learning has been seriously affected by problems at school often benefit from this relaxed and pupil-centred approach.
There is no 'correct' educational system that suits everyone, as young people are individuals who learn in different ways and at varying speeds, and families have different lifestyles. It is vital for parents and children to choose the kind of education that is right for them, and it's also important to be flexible and adaptable as the young person's needs change.
How costly is education at home?
There is no financial assistance for home educators, so inevitably some expense will be incurred. However, home educators do not have to buy school uniforms, pay bus fares to and from school, or the other incidental expenses connected with school. Home education can cost as much - or as little - as you are prepared to spend.
Many resources are available in a family home. For example, most families have equipment in the kitchen for measuring and weighing. Woodwork and other tools are often available in the home, and regular use of the library means you do not have to buy lots of books. There are various schemes that may help home educators, so ask at your local library about topic loans and special tickets that allow additional books, and any other resources they can offer.
Some families like to use work/textbooks, which for younger children are not usually costly. Textbooks may be expensive for older children working toward GCSE, but a good book may last for several years. Some people pass on, share, or swap materials and books with other families.
Organisations
ContinYou (merger of Education Extra and CEDC)
ContinYou provides a range of exciting programmes that encourages people of all ages and backgrounds to take an interest in learning.
DfES Parents Centre
This site is designed to tell parents about their child's education and how they can help.
Website: http://www.dfes.gov.uk/parents/
DfES Young Person's Gateway
If you require information about any area of learning for young people, whether you are looking for advice or wish to find out about government policy, the links here should help you find what you need.
Website: http://www.dfes.gov.uk/youngpeople/
Educate your Dyslexic Child at Home
This website is dedicated to parents with a child with dyslexia or with dyslexic type problems, who are not thriving in school. This site aims to find solutions, offers a network of support and details about teaching children at home. Also a special section for work on life skills with teenage dyslexics.
Website: http://www.dyslexics.org.uk/
Education Otherwise
Education Otherwise is a UK-based membership organisation which provides support and information for families whose children are being educated outside school, and for those who wish to uphold the freedom of families to take proper responsibility for the education of their children.
For more information about the organisation and an information pack phone them at the number listed.
Home Education Advisory Service
Since its foundation HEAS has worked steadily to raise awareness of the home education option as a viable alternative to school. Offers information and advice for parents who wish to educate their children away from school.
Telephone: 01707 371854
Address: PO Box 98, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL8 6AN
Fax: 01707 371854
Email: admin@heas.org.uk
Website: http://www.heas.org.uk/
Inter High School
Inter High School is a new type of High School based in the United Kingdom. This school is modeled on an English / Welsh secondary school with on line teaching for years 7 - 11 (normally ages 11 years to 16). Teachers and pupils work from home by logging on to a virtual classroom on the internet to receive real time tuition for 2/3 hours each morning. Work is set for the rest of the day to be completed by independent study in the pupil's home.
In the final year pupils are entered for GCSE examinations enabling them to continue into further education or employment. More details and a prospectus are available on their website.
Quality in Study Support
Quality in Study Support offers a range of services to schools, LEAs, public libraries, youth services, community groups and other providers of study support. QiSS is part of the National Youth Agency and aims to work in a sustained way with a growing consortium of providers and coordinators of study support.
Effective study support is a vital part of school improvement strategies and can be the key for raising the achievement an self esteem for individual pupils. To be effective study support needs to be a collaboration between schools and other organisations, and to engage all stakeholders in the regular review in pursuit of constant improvement.
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