home education

When my children first didn’t start school, I saw a hole where school would have been. The absence loomed large. I saw empty years ahead with no Back to School Septembers, and no Sports Day in July. No school plays and no class assemblies. No chatting with...

School isn't the only way to get an education, and the school way isn't the only way to learn. In fact, some of the skills we need at school are quite different to the skills we need in order to direct our own learning.

This...

What a strange thing we do to our young people in this culture and time.

We make them spend several years learning things that they often have no interest in, that they have not chosen and that they will in...

We don’t value the right to say no, when it comes to children.

We pretend that we do. We teach them about consent, and that their body is theirs alone.

We read them books and show them films about saying no to adults who tell them not to tell their mum about a secret or who...

Most people have no idea what child development and education looks like outside school when young people have autonomy. I've been told that children will endlessly move from whim to whim, or that they'll never learn to set goals or work hard....

I sometimes think the government would like to devise an injection for all kids at birth that would make them all grow exactly the same! It would make it so much easier for them; if all kids learned the same, achieved the same, at the same time, in the same way, without having to pay attention to individual needs!...

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill (CWSB) is being presented as a measure to improve child welfare and educational standards. However, it has raised serious concerns among parents, home educators, and civil liberties advocates, who argue that it represents a significant overreach by the Government . Critics fear...

Starting your home education journey can feel like stepping into an exciting, but uncharted, territory. The idea of teaching your kids at home brings up a mix of emotions: anticipation, excitement, and perhaps a bit of nervousness. But trust me, you’re not alone, and with the right approach, home education can be an incredibly rewarding experience. If you’ve decided to embark on this...

Dear Parents,

I thought I’d write you a letter because as a parent I know that you worry.

Being a parent seems to come packaged with worry. Add school and education into the parenting package and the worrying goes up a gear!

The sad thing about it is; education shouldn’t be worrying. It shouldn...