In England, play often gets treated as a nice extra, something squeezed in when the “real work” is done. But research, and decades of experience in home education, show that play is not a break from learning. It is learning. When we think of play, we often picture young children with building blocks or playground games. But the power of play...
There’s been a popular photo being shared on Facebook about how ADHD isn’t really a disorder - it’s a different kind of wiring. A set of traits that once helped humans survive, especially in fast-paced, unpredictable environments. And for many home-educating families like ours, this idea makes a lot of sense.
It’s backed by research too. A study in Nature Genetics found that ADHD traits are...
When a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower – Alexander Den Heijer
So often, families come to home education after watching their child struggle to thrive in school. They’re told their child is behind, too distracted, too sensitive, too slow, too much. But what if the problem isn’t the child?
Learning doesn’t follow a straight line What I used to think learning should look like: Workbooks. Steady progress. Timetabled ‘learning’. Educational apps. A clear beginning, middle, and end. What does it actually look like? Messy bursts of curiosity. Half-finished projects. Sudden leaps after long lulls. Ideas that spark, fade, and sometimes return months later - or not at all.
Once again, Finland, Denmark, and Iceland top the World Happiness Report this year , with the UK ranking significantly lower at 23rd place .
While many factors contribute to national happiness, one recurring theme among the highest-ranking countries is education . Could the UK’s exam-driven, high-pressure school system be the reason? I think so.
What did you learn at school today? By Naomi Fisher
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 table from my new book contrasts some of the skills we need to do school 'well' with the...
How Do Children Learn When They Don't Go to School? By Naomi Fisher
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. Here's what actually happens.
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! Then the politicians could have...
Parents rally against the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill: Defending alternative education and parental rights #ChildrensWellbeingBill Parents are set to gather on 8th March 2025 in Bedford Street, Exeter (and major cities across England, including London, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham). This coordinated rally aims to protest the proposed bill. This deeply concerning piece of...
