Post on 30-May-2020
transcript
Welcome to Elective Home Education
Doncaster Council - working alongside families in their learning journey
Our statement to you…•Weappreciatethatparents/carers
havechoicesonhowandwhereto
educatetheirchildren.
•Werespecttherearedifferent
methodsof providingasuitable
education.
•Weacknowledgemainstream
schoolingisnotsuitableor
desirableforeveryone.
•Weunderstandthatparentsdon’t
wantus‘watchingover’and
continuallymonitoringthemor
theirchild.
•Weknowmostparentsprovidea
wonderful,interestingandvaried
educationfortheirchildren.
•Weknowthatmosthomeeducated
childrenarehappy,healthyand
receivingasolidandappropriate
educationwhichwillpreparethem
wellfortheirfuture.
Weknowthatmanyparentscanbe
waryof LocalAuthorityinvolvement
butourElectiveHomeEducation
(EHE)officersmeetmanyfamilies
withveryvariedreasonsfor
educatingtheirchildren‘otherwise’.
Wecanprovidesupportandadvice
byworkingalongsidefamilies
whereverwecan.
DoncasterCouncilwantstowork
closelywithhomeeducatorsto
ensurethattheyhavetheservice
theywant.
Therewillberegularconsultationto
discussresources,ideas,newplans
andgiveusfirst-handinformationas
tohowwecanhelptogive
continuedsupporttolocalEHE
families.
Whether you are considering home education or have already embarked on your journey we hope you find the following information helpful.
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InadditionDoncasterLocalAuthority
ParticipationandTransitionService
willoffersupporttoyoungpeople
educatedathomefromage14.
What we will not do•Wewillnevertellyouwhatyou
aredoingiswrong.Ourroleisto
offeradviceandsupport.
•Wewillneverdemandtoseeyour
child/children.
•Wewillnotturnupatyourdoor
unannounced.
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However - if you will let us…•Wewouldlovetobepartof your
continuingeducationaljourney.Our
officerscanofferadviceonnewly
availableresourcesand
informationwhichmightbe
relevanttotheagerangeor
abilitiesof yourchild/children.
•Wewouldlovetoseeordiscuss
educationalaspectsthatyourchild
hasexperienced-it’sconfirmation
tousthatasuitableeducationis
beingprovidedandit’salwaysnice
toseechildren’sachievements.
•Wewouldalsoliketohearfrom
childrentoseeif wecanhelpthem
inanyway.
What’s your route?
ParentsandcarerscometoEHE
frommanydifferentroutes.Some
parentsprefertoEHEfromthestart
sotheirchildrenhavenever
experiencedmainstreamschool.
OtherfamiliesdecidetoEHEat
sometimeaftertheirchildhas
attendedschool.Tosomefamilies
EHEisreallynatural,toothersit
mightbeastruggletoknowwhere
tostart.If yourchildisattending
schoolandyouhavechosento
homeeducateitisnecessarythat
youensurethatyourchildis
de-registeredfromschool.This
meansthatyourchild’snameis
takenoff theschoolregister.Thisis
actuallyaverysimpleprocess.
TheHeadteachermustremove
achild’snamefromtheschool
rollonreceiptof awritten
requestbytheparentadvising
theHeadteacherof theirintentionto
homeeducate.If yourchildisonroll
ataspecialschooltheprocedureis
differentasthelocalauthorityhasto
agreetoremovalfromroll.
Uponreceiptof theletterthe
HeadteacherwillinformDoncaster
Councilandwewillwritetoyouto
offeryoutheopportunitytoaccess
adviceandsupport.
You don’t need a reasonTherearemanydifferentreasons
whyfamilieshomeeducate.Some
familiesprefertohomeeducatefor
religiousorculturalreasons,some
justbecausetheydonotwanttheir
childtobepartof aschoolsystem.
Whateveryourreasons,we’resure
youhaveyourchild’sbestinterests
atthetopof yourlistandwewould
liketosupportyourdecision.
Financial ImplicationsUsually,if youelecttohome
educateyourchild,youdonot
receiveanyhelpwithfundingfrom
theGovernment.
If youhavechosentode-register,or
haveneverregisteredyourchild,the
LocalAuthorityhasnodutyto
arrangeeducationalprovisionat
home.Whenconsideringhome
educationit’simportanttoconsider
howyouwillfundallaspectsof the
education,includingexams.
Approaches to Home Education
Weknowthatmethodsarevery
variedandyet,inthemostpart,
homeeducatingfamiliestendto
fallsomewherebetweenstructured
andautonomous(seebelow).It’s
notuncommontostartwithcertain
ideasandroutinesandthenchange
thingsastimegoeson.It’susuallya
regularlearningprocessforparents
aswellaschildren!
StructuredThisisteachinginaformalmanner
withafixedtimetablethatusually
keepsschoolhoursandschool
termtimes.SometimestheNational
Curriculumisfollowed.Sometimes
astructuredapproachisthechild’s
choiceparticularlyif thechildhas
previouslyhadsomeyearsatschool
priortobeinghomeeducated.
AutonomousFamiliesdonothavetofollowthe
nationalcurriculumoratimetable,
thusallowingfargreaterflexibility.
Usuallythechilddeterminesthe
areasof studyalsodecidinghow,
whenandwhattolearn.Thereis
usuallymorefocus
onusingindividualinterestsor
naturalcuriosity.
What do you HAVE to do?If youhavedecidedtoEHEyour
childthenyoudohavealegalduty
toensurethatyourchildreceives
aneffectiveandsuitableeducation.
Youcandothisanywayyouwant
toandtherearemanywaysand
descriptionsforthemethodchosen.
Italldependsonchoiceandtheage
andabilitiesof yourchildbuthere
areafewof themostcommon:
Living-LearningWhereeverythingineverydaylife
isalearningexperience.Learning
aboutsciencecansimplybe
informalchattingaboutnature,
plantsandgrowthduringawalkin
thewoods.Simplemathsfractions
canbeincorporatedsimplyby
cuttingacakeinslicesforsixpeople
(1/6thof awhole!)Turningona
bedsidelampcanopenuplearning
questionsaboutpowersources,
electricityandenergy.Thisischild
ledandsimplydirectedbythe
educator.
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Flexi-studyThisis,usually,settimetablesto
learnandalsousing‘livinglearning’
Childrenhaveaninformaltimetable
whichconcentratesonwrittenand
verballearningandlearnthe
practicalsideof thingswhile‘living
learning’.Thistypeof studyis
particularlyhelpfulif youwantto
concentrateslightlymoreinonearea
thananother.Itisstillimportantto
giveafullandbalancededucation
though.
Internet SchoolingInthismodernworldof coursewe
mustnotforgetInternetschools.
Thesearesafeandmonitored
virtualclassroomswherechildren
aretaughteitherfixedorvariable
timetabledlessons-thismay
broadlyfollowthenational
curriculumandchildrenwould
normallytakeIGCSEexams.This
isnormallytermtimeinlinewith
schools.
Distance learningTherearemanycoursesavailable
whichprovideteachingsupportwith
assignmentsbeingcompletedand
thensenttothecourseteachersand
formallymarked.
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Thiseducationalmethodisusually
forchildrenaged11+.Thesetypes
of coursesareusuallyfinalisedwith
thestudenttakingIGCSEexams
oncethecourseisfinished.
School at HomeThisiswhatitsays,setlessons,
settimes,followingtheNational
Curriculumbutathome.Of course
youarenotlikelytohaveascience
labinyourshed,agymnasiuminthe
wardrobe,oradramaroomgoing
spare,butthistypeof learningis
muchmorelikethetraditionalidea
of schooling,just‘athome’.Itsworth
rememberingthattheexamples
givenarejustatinyrepresentation
of thewayfamilieschoosetohome
educate.Inourexperiencefamilies
don’tfollowanyspecificrouteas
homeeducationisaverypersonal
experience.Mosthomeeducators
willagreethatwhatworksforone
familymaynotworkforanother.The
mostimportantpointisthattohome
educate,youreally,reallyhaveto
WANTto-wellmostof thetime,
anyway,weallhaveouroff days!
Home-educationcanchangewith
theebbandflowof familylifeas
children,theirinterestsandtheir
needs,changeandgrow.Onesize
mostcertainlydoesnotfitalland
oneof thebenefitsof home
educationisthatyoucanalterthefit
asneeded.
Avariedrangeof subjectsshould
beincludedinyoureducational
provisionsuchasmaths,reading,
writing,sciences,geography,history,
andeducationaldiscussiontoname
afew.Of equalimportance,are
sportsandexercise,musicandart.
Mostexperiencedhomeeducators
suggestthatithelpsif youcankeep
youreyesopenforopportunities
andeverydayoccurrencesthatcan
openupdoorsforobservationand
discussion.
Learningcanandshouldbefun
andenjoyableanditcanbeavery
steeplearningcurve,notsomuch
forthechildren,butfortheirparents
and/oradultsinvolvedinthe
children’slife.Thereisno
requirementforhomeeducatorsto
followtheNationalCurriculum
(althoughsomedo).Childrenlearn
atdifferentstagesandagesso
milestonescanbevaried.
TheElectiveHomeEducation
Officerwillalwaysbeavailableto
offeradviceandcanprovideyou
withinformationonhomeeducation
groupsif youwouldfindthat
reassuring.
Thereisavarieddiversityamongst
DoncasterHomeEducatorsand
manymeetregularlyandarrange
socialoreducationalvisitsto
museumsorplacesof interest.
Therearelotsof resourcesavailable
ontheInternetfromformal
worksheetstoartsandcraftssites
andwehavelistedafewof themat
theendof thisbooklet.
ExamsHomeeducatedchildrencantake
someexaminationsasfee-paying
privatecandidatesandmay,for
example,takeGCSE’s,IGCSE’sor
OpenUniversitycourses.
Itcanbedifficulttofindsomewhere
tositexams.However,someschools
andcollegeswillacceptexternal
candidates.DoncasterCouncilwill
provideinformationoneducational
establishmentswhoacceptexternal
candidates.
Why is it all so important?We’resurethatyourgoalsarethe
sameasours-thatallchildrenstay
happy,enjoygrowingup,remain
safe,andreceiveasuitable
educationwhichwillsetthemonthe
roadtoasuccessfulcareeranda
happyandproductivelife.Whenthe
decisiontohomeeducateismade
byparentsitisuptothemtodecide
howtheydeliverthateducation.
Theyarenotrequiredtofollowthe
NationalCurriculumortokeepto
specificschoolhours.
A varied range of subjects should be included in your educational provision such as reading, writing, maths, sciences, geography and history to name a few.
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However,parentsarerequiredby
lawtoensuretheirchildreceivesan
efficientfulltimeeducation,suitable
totheirage,abilityandaptitudeand
toanyspecialeducationalneedsthe
childmayhave.Youmayfindthatif
yourchildhaspreviouslyattended
schooltherewillneedtobeaperiod
of adjustment,it’ssometimescalled
‘de-schooling’Similarlyyourchild
mightbeusedtostructuredlessons
andwillfeelmorecomfortablewith
thatsamebasisforhomeeducation.
Youmaydecidethatyoudonotwish
tofollowanystructure,butwould
preferthatyourchildsetstheirown
learningchoices.Whatevermethod
youchoosethereisreallyonlyone
basicrule-if youarechoosingto
homeeducatethenparentsmust
provideanefficientfulltime
educationwhichissuitabletothe
age,abilityandaptitudeof thechild.
WeaskHomeEducatorstoprovide
uswithinformationaboutthetypeof
educationthatwillbeoffered.This
canbesuppliedinoneormoreof
thefollowingways:
1. Apersonalmeeting(atyour
homeoranothervenue)withour
ElectiveHomeEducationOfficer.
2. Bycompletingourinformation
form.
3. Writingareport.
4. Writingaletteraboutyour
educationphilosophy.
5. Showingexamplesof
educationalexperience
(photos,essaysetc).
6. Gainingendorsementfrom
athirdparty.
Three suggested elements to Educational Philosophies(Courtesyof FionaNicholson
www.edyourself.org)
a) TheBelief Statement.Thisisyour
“philosophyof education”orthe
valueswhichareimportanttoyou
andyourfamily
b) TheListof Resourcesusedin
yourdaytodayhomeeducation
c) Howyouareputtingyourbeliefs
intopractice.(AlsoKnownas
“TheReport”)Giveexamplesof
howyourhomeeducationworks
inpractice.Manyfamiliesalso
finditusefultokeeparecord
whentheyfirststarthome
educating,toremindthemselves
of allthattheyaredoingona
dailybasis.
UpdatesAsyourchildgrowsitislikelythat
yourprovisionwilltooandwiththis
inmindwecontacteachEHEfamily
eitherannuallyormoreregularlyif
requested.Itisimportantthatwe
mentionthatitisnotalegal
requirementforhomeeducators
toprovideregularupdatestous.
Howeverwedofeelthatithelps
ustounderstandwherewecould
provideservicestohomeeducators
orhighlightexistingserviceswhich
maybeuseful.
Withthisinmindweoffermanyways
forexchangeof information:
1. AmeetingwiththeOfficerso
thatwecankeepyouupdatedon
anynewsupportservicesand
youcanletusknowhowthings
havebeenprogressingsinceour
lastcontact.
2. AletterorrevisedEducational
Philosophy.
3. FurtherExamplesof the
educationalexperience.
What’s the different between EHE (Elective Home Education) and CME (Children Missing Education)?Everychildisentitledbylawtoan
educationeitherbyregular
attendanceatschoolor‘otherwise’.
EveryLAhasadutytoensurethat
childrenarenotmissingeducation
andsoneedtoascertainthata
childfallsundertheumbrellaof
EHEandnotCME.
Why is it all so important?Everychildhasarighttoan
education.Parentscanmake
choicesonhowthatisdeliveredbut
legallyithastobeeducationthatis
“efficient”-itachieveswhatitsets
outtoachieveand“suitable”-it
preparesthechildforlifeinsociety
asfullandequalcitizensandalso
enablesthechildtoachievehis/her
fullpotential.
We’resurethatyourgoalsarethe
sameasours-thatallchildrenstay
happy,staysafe,enjoygrowingup,
remainsafeandreceiveasuitable
educationwhichwillsetthemonthe
roadtoasuccessfulcareeranda
happyandproductivelife.
Is there a negative side to EHE?Wehavelistenedtosomeof the
concernsfromexistingEHEparents
andchildren.Theseareafew
whichyoumayfindinteresting.
My child seems to have lost interest in education and sometimes it can be difficult to spark their interest at all. What shall I do?
Whynottryacompletelydifferent
approach.Forexample,oneEHE
childwasjustnotinterestedin
historyatall.Thenasurprisetrip
tothecinematosee‘TheKings
Speech’endedinafourweek
projectontheRoyalKingsand
Queensof England!Thisledto
deeperinterestinspecifictime
periodsinhistoryandsomevery
detailedanddedicatedresearch
withcontinuedinterest.
I’m finding it difficult to get my child to exercise.
AsEHEparentsit’seasytonottake
intoaccounttheactualtimetabled
physicaleducationlessonsyour
childnolongerhas.Whenyoualso
factorinwalkingtoandfromschool,
walkingbetweenclassroomsand
playing/runningatbreaktimesthat’s
alotof missedexercise!Motivation
isthekey,exercisecanalsobefun,
iceskating,swimming,orjust
walkingthedogandthrowingaball
isallexercise.
Whataboutsuggestinganartlesson
inthewoods,alongwalk,arest
whilesketching,thenabriskwalk
backhome.
I’m concerned that my child is not socialising enough with other children of similar ages. What can I do?Thismightbeagoodtimetojoina
localclub.Findalistof localclubs
offeringasubjectyouthinkyour
childwouldbeinterestedin.Drama
clubs,Scouts,Guides,Karateclubs,
thelikelihoodisthatfriendshipswill
beforged.Youcouldalsolookfor
localgroupsof homeeducators.
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Progress enquiries from the Local Authority
Sometimeswereceiveinformation,
thatmakesitappearthatparentsare
notprovidingasuitable
education,obviouslywehaveto
checkthisinformation.Thefirstthing
wedoissimplyconductinformal
enquiriesbyaskingyou-sothatwe
cansatisfyourownlegal
requirements.Thistypeof enquiry
isnotthesameasaformalnotice
undersection437(1),andisnot
necessarilyaprecursorfor
formalprocedures.Parentsare
undernodutytorespondtosuch
enquiries,butwehopeyouwill.
Obviouslywecan’t‘forgetaboutit’
orputthefiletothebottomof the
pileif wedon’tgetanyanswer-we
havetofollowupandsometimesof
coursewedohavetotakefurther
stepstoensurethatachildreceives
asuitableeducation,butthiswould
beourlastresort.
Wewouldlovetoworkandlearn
frommoreexperiencedhome
educatorsasitreallydoeshelpus
todecidewhetherweneedtomake
changestoourprocedures.
Withthisinminditisveryhelpfulif
wehaveannualcontactwithyouso
thatyoucanprovideabrief update.
Ouraimistobuildasolid
relationshipwithallHomeEducation
families,sothatwecansaythat
everyHomeEducatedchildin
Doncasterishappy,healthyand
learningwell.
Helpful ResourcesManywebsitesareavailabletohelp
homeeducators.Thesesitesrange
fromfreeinformationandideas,to
paidforworksheets.Thelinksbelow
aresomethathavebeenusedby
otherDoncasterEHEfamilies.
Ed Yourself
www.edyourself.org
Doncaster Home Education Group
www.doncasterhomeeducation.
blogspot.co.uk/
Ideas for home schooling
www.homeschooling-ideas.com
Education Otherwise
www.educationotherwise.net
Home Education Advisory
service
www.heas.org.uk
HE Special (Home Education
Children with Special
Education Needs)
www.he-special.org.uk
www.home-education.org.uk
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Parents may decide to exercise their right to home educate their child from a very early age and so the child may not have been previously enrolled at school.
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Library
Therearemanylibrariesinand
aroundDoncasterandtheyare
allfreetojoin.Manylibrariesoffer
accesstoacomputerwithInternet
access.HomeEducatorscannow
haveaccesstotheschoolslibrary
serviceatacostof £50peryear.
Internet schools:
www.interhigh.co.uk
www.briteschool.co.uk
www.firstcollege.co.uk
Distance Learning:
www.oxfordhomeschooling.co.uk
www.nec.ac.uk/info
www.ukopencollege.co.uk
The Legal bitsThelawrelatingtoElectiveHome
Education:
Theresponsibilityforachild’s
educationrestswiththeirparents.In
England,educationiscompulsory,
butschoolisnot.
Article2of Protocol1of the
EuropeanConventiononHuman
Rightsstatesthat:
“Nopersonshallbedeniedthe
righttoeducation.Intheexerciseof
anyfunctionswhichitassumesin
relationtoeducationandto
teaching,theStateshallrespect
therightof parentstoensuresuch
educationandteachingisin
conformitywiththeirownreligious
andphilosophicalconvictions.”
Parentshavearighttoeducatetheir
childrenathome.Section7of the
EducationAct1996providesthat:
“Theparentof everychildof
compulsoryschoolageshallcause
himtoreceiveefficientfull-time
educationsuitable-
(a)tohisage,abilityandaptitude,
and(b)toanyspecialeducational
needshemayhave,eitherbyregular
attendanceatschoolorotherwise.”
Theresponsibilityforachild’s
educationrestswithhisorher
parents.An“efficient”and“suitable”
educationisnotdefinedinthe
EducationAct1996but“efficient”
hasbeenbroadlydescribedincase
lawasaneducationthat“achieves
thatwhichitsetsouttoachieve”,
anda“suitable”educationisone
that“primarilyequipsachildforlife
withinthecommunityof whichheis
amember,ratherthanthewayof life
inthecountryasawhole,aslong
asitdoesnotforeclosethechild’s
optionsinlateryearstoadoptsome
otherformof lifeif hewishes
todoso”.
Parental rights and responsibilities
Parentsmaydecidetoexercisetheir
righttohomeeducatetheirchild
fromaveryearlyageandsothe
childmaynothavebeenpreviously
enrolledatschool.Theymayalso
electtohomeeducateatanyother
stageuptotheendof compulsory
schoolage.Parentsarenot
requiredtoregisterorseekapproval
fromthelocalauthoritytoeducate
theirchildrenathome.Parentswho
choosetoeducatetheirchildrenat
homemustbepreparedtoassume
fullfinancialresponsibility,including
bearingthecostof anypublic
examinations.However,local
authoritiesareencouragedto
providesupportwhereresources
permit.
Parentsmustalsoensurethattheir
childrenreceiveasuitablefull-time
educationforaslongastheyare
beingeducatedathome.
Localauthoritieshaveastatutory
dutyundersection436Aof the
EducationAct1996,insertedbythe
EducationandInspectionsAct2006,
tomakearrangementstoenable
themtoestablishtheidentities,
sofarasitispossibletodoso,of
childrenintheirareawhoarenot
receivingasuitableeducation.The
dutyappliesinrelationtochildren
of compulsoryschoolagewhoare
notonaschoolroll,andwhoare
notreceivingasuitableeducation
otherwisethanbeingatschool(for
example,athome,privately,orin
alternativeprovision).Theguidance
issuedmakesitclearthattheduty
doesnotapplytochildrenwhoare
beingeducatedathome.
LocalAuthoritieshavenostatutory
dutiesinrelationtomonitoringthe
qualityof homeeducationona
routinebasis.However,under
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Section437(1)of theEducationAct
1996,LocalAuthoritiesshall
interveneif itappearsthatparents
arenotprovidingasuitable
education.Thissectionstatesthat:
“If itappearstoaLocalEducation
Authoritythatachildof compulsory
schoolageintheirareaisnot
receivingsuitableeducation,either
byregularattendanceatschoolor
otherwise,theyshallserveanotice
inwritingontheparentrequiring
himtosatisfythemwithintheperiod
specifiedinthenoticethatthechild
isreceivingsucheducation.”
Section437(2)of theActprovides
thattheperiodshallnotbelessthan
15daysbeginningwiththedayon
whichthenoticeisserved
Priortoservinganoticeunder
section437(1),LocalAuthoritiesare
encouragedtoaddressthesituation
informally.
Themostobviouscourseof actionif
theLocalAuthorityhasinformation
thatmakesitappearthatparentsare
notprovidingasuitableeducation,
wouldbetoaskparentsforfurther
informationabouttheeducationthey
areproviding.Sucharequestisnot
thesameasanoticeundersection
437(1),andisnotnecessarilya
precursorforformalprocedures.
Parentsareundernodutyto
respondtosuchenquiries,butit
wouldbesensibleforthem
todoso.
www.doncaster.gov.uk
For more information please contact: Doncaster Council
Civic Office, Waterdale, Doncaster, DN1 3BU.Telephone: 01302 736504