Cambridge Education Guide - Autumn/Winter 2020 WEB

63

HOMESCHOOL ING

“Home educators argue that society imposes too narrow a view of education. It’s not confined to specific subjects”

make it permanent. If they do, they’ll be part of a growing movement. It’s estimated that around 60,000 families in England homeschool their children – though, as there’s no national register, the actual figure is likely to be far higher. Home educators attract very polarised views and still tend to be seen as quirky and alternative. Home educators argue that society imposes too narrow a view of education. It’s not confined to specific subjects like maths and history and doesn’t only take place in schools. Instead, learning happens whenever someone acquires a new skill – and is a lifelong process. And as parents, we tend to forget that we are our child’s chief and most important educators. Perhaps surprisingly, the UK’s approach to home education is one of the most relaxed in the world and the rules are simple. While education is compulsory, school isn’t. Home educating your child is completely legal (though that’s not the case in other countries) and there’s very little red tape or forms to complete. Finally, and perhaps most excitingly, parents have almost complete freedom about what or how they teach. They can follow the national curriculum and prepare their child for formal exams, but if the subjects and lesson content don’t appeal, they can opt to do something completely different. Children don’t need to meet particular educational standards or cover particular topics by a certain date. All the government says on the subject is that a ‘suitable’ education should be provided, which “should ... [enable] the child to function as an independent citizen”.

That’s something that leaves plenty of scope for interpretation – though local authorities may ask for ‘evidence’ of how and what a child is learning. The one thing that lockdown demonstrated was that the internet is teeming with high-quality resources, free and paid-for. Whatever the subject or level, the chances are that someone, somewhere, will be offering it (it’s always sensible to carry out safeguarding checks along the way). There are downsides, of course. While most parents can cover core subjects at primary level, it gets harder when they’re older. While it is possible to homeschool your child through GCSEs and beyond, it’s the point at which many parents feel that expert help, through online schools or private tutors, is necessary – and potentially costly. For children, the hardest part is missing out on friendships. Local home education groups (you’ll find them on Yahoo and Facebook) fill some of the gaps with trips and gatherings. But for older children, that may not be enough. One answer could be flexi-schooling. Unfortunately still offered by only a tiny number of schools, it allows families to combine home education and part-time attendance at school, giving families the best of all possible worlds. The bottom line is that home education can be highly successful – but, as lockdown as demonstrated, it’s not an easy option. You need to be absolutely sure it’s for you, and your children, before taking it on. For those who embrace all its opportunities and challenges, it can open up a whole new way to learn and grow.

CAMBRIDGE EDUCAT ION GUIDE

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