In 2019, the Children’s Commissioner suggested the figure of registered home educated pupils in the UK was over 60 000. Despite these ever-growing figures, there is limited information given by Local Authorities when parents choose to de-register their child from school.
We have recently had a surge in the number of enquiries regarding our home education services. During lockdown many families found that home schooling had many benefits for their children and have decided to de-register their child/ren from school and home educate.
Below are some frequently asked questions we receive regarding home education:
Should we home educate our child?
This is a very personal decision and there are a huge variety of reasons that families choose to home educate (or participate in flexi-schooling). You know your child/ren best and how they best learn and will make the decision that is right for your family. You may wish to talk the idea through with your child’s current school and other professional stakeholders (e.g. tutors, speech therapists, occupational therapists, coaches, councillors etc). You do not have to, but you may wish to use these professionals as a sounding board. Here at Education Boutique, we are always happy to have a no obligation chat.
What do we need to do/who do we need to inform?
You need to inform your Local Authority of your decision to home educate and go through the process of officially de-registering your child.
What curriculum should we follow? Where do we start?
In the UK, families who wish to home educate are given no guidelines for the national curriculum. Some families will have a regular tutor for an hour or so a week, most commonly for the core subjects: English, Mathematics and Science. Many families share learning ideas and make social connections with other home educating families via home educating social media groups.
Your key role as a home educating facilitator is to link what you have done during the week to the core subjects. Education Boutique’s unique and personalised Learning by Topic Frameworks can show you how your child’s interests can be turned into a topic of study, covering all subjects, for an entire term.
We also have a workbook available for purchase via Amazon titled: My Home Ed Journal. This journal assists your child in feeling motivated and in control of their learning journey. It also makes for a very handy document/evidence of learning should your Local Authority contact you asking for proof of learning.
Will my child still need to sit SATs if we home educate?
No, SATs are mainly used to test how schools are performing.
How many hours should we spend home educating each day?
What you need to remember is that the six hour school day does not involve academic learning for the entire six hours; morning tea and lunch breaks, assemblies etc all take place within this time frame.
Some families prefer to carry out their home education program of the core subjects in the morning and research supports children are more attentive at this time of day. The afternoon can then be reserved for interest based projects, social outings, educational trips (to museums etc) and sports clubs – these types of experiences are all vital to a well rounded education.
If we need tutors, how costly will this be?
This depends on a number of variables: how many sessions you require; if you prefer face to face tutoring or online tutoring; individual sessions or group tutoring.
We would strongly recommend doing your research on the tutoring company you choose; check the tutor’s qualifications and always ensure they have a current DBS certificate. The Tutors’ Association has some fantastic advice regarding finding a tutor: https://thetutorsassociation.org.uk/finding-a-tutor
Education Boutique have a variety of ways in which we can support families who home educate, with options to suit every budget.
For further assistance or advice, do not hesitate to contact Education Boutique: brooke@educationboutique.co.uk or www.educationboutique.co.uk .
Brooke McClure, Lead Resource Teacher at Education Boutique