Freedom to HomeSchool Without Interference

Comment on General Election 2017 by David.

As a home educating family I have a good grasp of education law (I own a copy of the education act) and we already have enough protection in law and LEAs have enough power to deal with home educated children who are not receiving a suitable education.

However, some LEAs take the law into their own hands and demand things not available in law, for example monitoring of the home on a yearly basis!

Home education was the norm before schools became common place, home education (called Otherwise in the education act) has always been the ‘default’ option for children reaching school age, (doesn’t help that it’s called school age, should be education age) parents make a conscious decision to send their children to school, you opt IN the school system, not out.

We were taken to court in Grimsby by the LEA and LOST (cost us over £1,200 in court fees), but after we lost they left us alone (they could have forced us to send our children to school)! It was a BAD LEA and since magistrates haven’t a clue what they are doing in this area, the odds are stacked against you as a home educator in court in a bad area.

The law doesn’t need changing the attitude of some LEAs need to change their approach to be within the law. Some LEA’s are great at dealing with home educators, but like with most things some within the system think they know better and have to act outside the legal framework!

Where we live now the LEA was happy just to talk to me outside the home and based on what I said have left us alone for ~3 years. They had no reason to doubt what I told them and the reality is the money investigating us just because they wanted to (like Grimsby LEA did) could be better spent on children in school who are failing to receive a suitable education!

I’ll add eldest son is at University (never went to school) and he finds the degree he’s studying really easy, second son is an idiot and is in school (home education isn’t for every child) and the school thinks he’s a good student, (he isn’t what we’d consider a good student, hence why we sent him to school), youngest still fully home educated and doing extremely well. So there was no good reason for Grimsby LEA to take us to court, it was over them wanting access to the home and children which they do not have a right to in law.

Would be great to have a party in power that not only tolerates home educators, but embraced us, BUT I would not vote for a party to have an easier life in this small area, there’s far more important issues.

As an home educator Labour’s Big Brother approach to government is probably the worst party we could vote for, but I look at the big picture, so will still vote Labour until a better alternative is presented.

David