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Petition regarding home education on Downing Street website

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http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/HErights/

 

The Government is planning changes to the monitoring of home education. At present this only applies to England. Proposed changes include: a mission statement and clear plan which we stick to, targets, a broad and balanced curriculum, more surveillance and monitoring from the LA to make sure we are "doing it properly". Taken from the Freedom to grow website.

 

More information can be found here

 

http://www.freedomforchildrentogrow.org/index.htm

 

 

Anyone intrested in more information on home educating try here

 

http://www.education-otherwise.org/index.htm

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i thinks it's only right that there should be some moderating done by the state.

 

but not interfering.

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I am quite happy that there is monitoring of home education. However, the very mention of "mission statement" should be enough to get all of us to sign this petition. It is the use of this kind of business-speak in schools that will have caused at least some of the people to home educate in the first place.

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IMO that petition is badly worded "without interference" = no monitoring at all. That has to be an unrealistic proposition. Without monitoring from the education authorities, who will help in the decisions as to what exams a home educated child might take. Also, surely there has to be some monitoring of the type of education the child is receiving, otherwise s/he could be sitting at home all day, for example playing computer games, for all anybody knows.

 

I couldn't sign that petition in its present form.

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As the Law stands at the moment the LA can make informal enquires to ensure that children are recieving an education. What this petition is about is that they now want to have more say and are trying to get home educators to follow something similar to a curriculam. I do understand that a curriculam works for some children and can work well. But for the vast majority of home educated children it would only interfere with their individual learning method. There is more information on the Education Otherwise website on the law and even some examples of home ed life. Please have a look before jumping straight in to an opinion.

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This government can't stop itself interfering in anything can it? People choose to home educate more often than not because the education provision on offer means parents/carers prefer to educate their children at home i.e. it's pathetic. If the government got of its large backside and bothered to get into schools and have a look what their monitoring and interfering has caused for our teachers and schools - they may well rethink the whole process. I am in the process of choosing schools for my little girl (obviously the concept of "choice" is also questionable) - however, I am not prepared to, nor can I afford to move house to live next door to a desirable school with outstanding written on its ofsted report.

 

The thought at the back of my mind is - if local school provision does not meet my expectation, I will home educate and I'll be damned if I am going to be inspected by some government official who has never worked in a school with little child experience who thinks they are going to examen my children!!!

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when home educating, at present, don't you have to complete these forms anyway? I haven't read the new proposals fully so I may be getting the wrong end of the stick. :confused: As far as I am aware OFSTED can also visit you at home as it stands now. Saying this though it is very difficult for them as they need your agreement to do so which means being registered with them, which means cost to you. So a bit of a no go! Maybe the new proposals are more to do with OFSTED and them being able to check you? Either way, it's all to do with money in the end and probable not much to do with the welfare of children.

 

Guidance notes for Parents/CarersThe intention of these notes is to help you understand what may be involved if you are thinking about, or have decided, to educate your child away from the school system. We do not mean to be prescriptive, we recognise that there is a variety of ways in which education can be provided. We wish to help you think through the issues.

 

Proposed curriculum for Education at home by Parents

Use this to give the CSA an indication of the curriculum you intend to follow in educating your child.

 

Curriculum guidelines

These curriculum guidelines have been written to help parents prepare a curriculum outline for children being educated at home.

 

http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/education/information-for-parentscarers/attendance/home-education

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Surely they can't impose that home educating parents have to follow a 'plan' otherwise they may as well be in school. If it wasn't for the social aspect of school my kids would be learning at home too, my son will be if they don't learn to control him! I sure wouldn't want someone who hasn't a clue telling me what I could and could not teach them and when. I thought part of home schooling was about the children learning at their own pace and not having deadlines as to what they should know by when. The basics, i.e reading and writing are pretty much common sense anyway, if you've got a kid who is ten and can't write their name yet and have no disability then something isn't right. They need to stop forcing them to do it their way and help parents to do it they way the parents want to do it. Give them support and information not plans and critisism.

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i dont think they want to specify a work plan more a contents page.

 

it's quite easy for children to be indoctinated into the beliefs of parents but it would be even worse if they only teach them about things that they see to be of value.

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Surely they can't impose that home educating parents have to follow a 'plan' otherwise they may as well be in school. If it wasn't for the social aspect of school my kids would be learning at home too, my son will be if they don't learn to control him! I sure wouldn't want someone who hasn't a clue telling me what I could and could not teach them and when. I thought part of home schooling was about the children learning at their own pace and not having deadlines as to what they should know by when. The basics, i.e reading and writing are pretty much common sense anyway, if you've got a kid who is ten and can't write their name yet and have no disability then something isn't right. They need to stop forcing them to do it their way and help parents to do it they way the parents want to do it. Give them support and information not plans and critisism.

 

Hi kittenta. I would just like to say with regards to the social aspect of home education. You would be suprised how much social interaction goes on. Home educated children are very sociable due to the nature of how they are learning. Often out on trips or visits wether that be to a museum or just to the park. Always meeting new people and meeting up with their friends. Some of which go to school so they meet them after. Also never underestimate the freindships you have between your own family. I have also found home educated children to interact well with people of all ages and will enjoy and benefit from the company of a 90 year old to a child of their own age. As adults we wouldnt be friends with 30 of our peers. Our friends would be people off all ages and all backgrounds. Some of us chose to have a great number of friends some of have a close chosen few. Our children should also have that same choice.

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i dont think they want to specify a work plan more a contents page.

 

it's quite easy for children to be indoctinated into the beliefs of parents but it would be even worse if they only teach them about things that they see to be of value.

 

 

What about families who chose an autonomous approach choosing to be child led. How would a contents page fit around this?

 

 

Can you really teach your child to have only your values and beliefs? Although parents have a strong influence over what a child beliefs they cannot possibly force a child to hold these values.

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