There are many reasons home education is the preferred choice and here are some examples:
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Confidence may be low in the school option that is available.
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There may be issues with bullying that has not been resolved.
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Health reasons could prevent the child from attending school.
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There may be issues that require short term intervention.
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There may be a lack of suitable provision in the school for special educational needs.
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This could be a temporary situation whilst awaiting a place at a suitable school.
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Home education may have started during Covid-19 and parents found this to be a better option.
Whilst home education may seem the best option, there is still little help from the government to ensure that all the necessary tools are available to provide the best education available.
How the UK government can help
Many parents would agree that they felt extremely intimidated when first starting the home education route as it was very new to them, and they would have appreciated some help from their local authority to point them in the right direction.
Providing a roadmap for success
Many share the belief that the initial first steps would have been easier if there was a roadmap to assist with successfully facilitating home education. With more guidance and resources, families wouldn't have to figure everything out through trial and error. The government has the ability to put together that comprehensive guidance framework.
Sharing curriculum recommendations
Many hours can be spent researching all the different curriculum options for each subject and the correct age. If there was a government platform available which could suggest quality curriculum resources, that would help immensely and enable home educators to still provide an excellent education that hits the key learning standards.
Monitoring progress and providing support
Perhaps there could be informal progress check-ins or consultations through local authorities to ensure that learners are on track and not falling behind. There are currently no clear benchmarks available to ensure learning needs are being met.
Acknowledging specific needs
Mental health concerns are driving many families towards home education, and it is time the government openly recognised this situation. There is still a stigma around mental health and the government acknowledging its prevalence would be a huge step forward.
Partnering with experts
The government are not experts at home education and perhaps they could collaborate with providers who specialise in this area, tailoring resources and activities to suit their needs. This would also provide a way of monitoring progress of learners and ensuring they are on track academically.
Focusing on wellbeing
Children’s mental health and overall wellbeing must come first and cannot be argued with; this is true no matter who their education provider is. The government could consider having a laser focus on prioritising child mental health and happiness in all educational policies relating to home education. Those healthy emotional foundations are essential.
Encouraging collaboration
Most school and home education families would benefit from increased collaboration. These could come in the form of government incentives to get more schools to open their doors to home educated children. They could then be given the opportunity to join in with activities such as sports, drama and music, or to attend individual classes or special events at mainstream schools. These kinds of compromises can be beneficial for all students.
Facilitating social interaction
Most home educators work hard to facilitate peer social interaction through local groups, activities, and more. However, additional opportunities to mingle with school-educated children could go a long way as well. The government and schools should facilitate that community integration.
Facilitate the transition to school
Another area where government guidance could be useful is helping families navigate the transition back to traditional schooling if they decide home education is no longer the right fit and circumstances have changed. This needs to be introduced carefully with skilled members of staff overseeing the transition.
The government can find ways to provide the supports outlined above, if done thoughtfully and collaboratively with home educated families themselves. We need to preserve the elements of independence and customisation that make home education a valid, thriving educational approach for thousands of children across the UK.
Angela Wilson is a director at Learn Now, an online learning platform based in Devon.
