December 2017: Here we go...

Owen & I with his 16 year old brother

Our first post!

After a year of angst ridden deliberation, I decided to home educate my 6 year old son Owen. He was anxious, unhappy, hating school, having meltdowns over the slightest thing and stressed - children should not be stressed! Nothing dramatic 'happened', our small rural Primary School was lovely - the issue was the system itself and an accumulation of factors. Dropping Owen off each morning was awful, whilst sobbing he would beg me to take him home, which then would make me cry... It just seemed wrong, him miserable shut in school for 6 hours a day, life is short - so I resolved to get the happy back in his life and mine.



The UK school system fails our children with it's obsession for testing, assessment, literacy & numeracy skills and the 'right kind' of behaviour (sit still, be quiet etc.). It is set to get worse too, the government has future plans for compulsory baseline tests of literacy, numeracy and behaviour in the first six weeks of primary school life (testing 4 year olds... really?!!).

Do we want to make all our children the same? Do we all 'learn' the same way? Do we just accept that it's the 'right' way because the majority do it? Are we sacrificing our children's happiness and uniqueness in order to conform?

The UK education system could learn a lot from countries like Finland and Sweden where children learn through play, 'formal' schooling doesn't even begin until the age of 7 (unlike the UK where they start school at only 4, even though the actual CSA is meant to be 5). Did you know that the English system was introduced in 1870 in order to get women back into work quicker? (rather than on the basis of any educational benefit to children!). 

The idea of children not learning to read until they're 7 scares some parents, but the research consistently shows that they do catch up. Those extra years of play may help children in ways that academia cannot. A recent study by Stanford University discovered that kids who started school older showed significantly lower levels of inattention and hyperactivity. The difference in development between age five and age eight is significant. Starting formal schooling later has been proven to produce better long term academic achievement, happiness and child well-being. 

Here is a very informative read on the evidence:
New Scientist - Too Much Too Young


Although an education is compulsory in the UK for children between the ages of 5 and 16, school itself is not. Many families prefer to home educate their children and it is their right under UK law to do so. Home educating families do not have to follow the National Curriculum and there is no right or wrong way to do it. Home ed 'styles' vary from unschooling / autonomous child-led learning, to a national curriculum based 'school at home' approach - I think we will be somewhere in between the two. There is a huge support network out there and a very big home ed. community (especially in Devon), most of my knowledge has been gained from helpful home education Facebook groups.

This fantastic website has a wealth of information on home education:
Educational Freedom

This Guardian article sums up some great key home ed. plus points: 
10 Good Reasons to Home Educate


But back to us!

Only 1 week into our home ed journey and my son was a different boy and most importantly, happy again, it was like flicking a switch - amazing! A whole new world had opened up to us which filled me with optimism and joy. We attended many different home ed groups and activities in the lead up to Christmas, mainly trying to find our feet and meeting other homeschooling families. Owen still meets up with school friends and sees the village children at Beavers (young Cub Scouts). The socialisation question comes up a lot but it is a complete non issue - Owen has met and mixed with so many other children (and adults) of all ages and diverse lifestyles, and they have all been so friendly and welcoming. Here's just a small sample of things he did in December...

Owen riding for the very first time at a home ed. pony club

Art appreciation!

Forest School & reconnecting with nature

Doing science! Making stretchy slime at a home ed group

A home ed event at Plymouth Aquarium

Santa even visited and dived with the fish!

Attending a Christmas play at Exeter Library

...And some of the best things? Owen hasn't been ill once since leaving school (touch wood). No stressful and manic school run mornings. Spending time together, it's a cliche to say they grow up fast - but it's very true (I have 2 teenage sons as well, so speak from experience). And, visiting places in term time is blinking fantastic; quiet, easy to park, no queues, bliss!... Here's to 2018!

Take the path less travelled - be happy... xx