[mou's mum]

Am seriously thinking about this for my 11 year old who will be going to secondary school in Sept 2007 is there anyone that is thinking about doing it or is doing it already and can give me some pointers?

would love to hear from you.

[helend]

i live in manchester and i would like to home school my 3 kids aged 8 10 12 but im scared
have you taken yours out yet
i would love to here your concerns about it

[Miss Sherriff]

My sister home schools her children in London. I will see if I can get her on here to answer you. There are lots of resources for home schoolers and in London there are several support groups. The children thrive and I think their parents do as well.

[mou's mum]

AT LAST, REPLIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i havent taken my son out yet but with this whole allocation fiasco it looks like i may have to.

He doesn't have a place for Sept 2007 and the options are a bit grim....

i dont know anything about homeschooling but it is something that i am willing to do if i can swing it........

[man u fan]

hi how much would home schooling cost ? ive have 2 girls aged 6 and 8

[mou's mum]

gawd knows, am completely new to this whole concept, am putting out feelers for other homeschoolers who can give me advice!

[francesn]

I've only ever known people home-school at primary level - worked for a lovely family who homeschool 2G (4, 10) and B(9), but they put their kids into school at 11. My sister was homeschool for a year at the age of 14 and my mother said she found it really hard because she didn't know enough to teach her! Although we did live in the middle of nowhere so there was no support....

You need to think about things like GCSEs etc and how long you feel you can homeschool for. If it's for two or three years and they go into school at Year 9 or 10 then it's an option for any parent.

Personally I wouldn't for secondary because I think the social interaction of school is so important, but if you think your child would get a better education then go for it!

[helend]

hi manu fan i think it would cost as much as you can aford
do you live in manchester

mou's mum
We have been thinking, talking and thinking talking………..and still have not said lets do it
We know that home schooling works really well if done right
We have discussed what it could be like for us and the children and in are minds eye it is wonderful and we are full of confidence
But we then doubt are ability to fore fill and sustain are enthusiasm after all its are children’s childhoods and potential futures we are thinking of changing
Life would be so different
Should we do it
Dear we do it
Will we do it
Yes no yes no……….
This is where we’re at at the moment
help

[man u fan]

HI NO I LIVE IN CROY0DN

[helend]

are you thinking of takeing your kids out of school
and with out wanting to sound to noies why
i my self have lots of diferent reasons

my little girl age 8 has been strugaling in school but with a lot of input at home she has come on quite well but she has to do a lot of home work to keep up this takes a way from her own time she is always complaining

my son age 10 stutters because of this he has always had problems joining in with the class and has never really bonded with his class mates
he has learned to except this he has good days and bad days some time they can be really mean
he is very smart and this is not reconised


my son aged 12 is falling behined on his work in school his friends are all importent to him at the moment as it should be but he is using school as a youth club and i feel the school is taking on the responce abilaty of the parent i feel he would do better beeing at home where we can gide him with love and understanding

[nik9a]

[mou's mum]

Nik9a, lucky you at least you got an offer!

I am looking into everything at the moment Homeschooling is going to mean MASSIVE upheaval in my lif but i may have no choice........

Not to be nosy, but do you mind telling me which school you were offered?

[mezhomeschool]

Hi

Yes I teach my children, aged 11, 10, 7 & 4 from home. They have never been to school.

My oldest would be going to secondary school this September, but is staying at home.

There are loads of support groups in London. Look on the Education Otherwise and Home Education Advisory Service websites to start off with.

Some-one said something about children needing the socialisation that secondary school can offer - I challenge anybody to stand outside Southside shopping Centre in Wandsworth at 3.30/4pm on a weekday evening and try to get on the 156 bus - listen to the swearing, see the old ladies get pushed out of the way - is that the sort of socialisation that you want for your children?

Home-educated children are (generally) much better socialised because they grow up able to mix with all ages, both children and adults. They don't (in my experience) think that they're pulling the short straw if they're not with children their own age all the time - they enjoy mixing and making friends with children of various ages. My children do all talk to visitors at once, which I'm trying to work on - they like guests!

Home-schooling is not an easy option - playing house-wife - mum - teacher - cook - chauffeur - friend - confidante - is not always easy. For ourselves, we have made sacrifices - we rent - we couldn't afford to buy a family home in London on one income. BUT (and it's a big but) I have an 11 year old who listens to me, who chats to me and who says sorry without being prompted if I tell him off. I have their best hours - not just the rush you get in the mornings before school and the tired stress-out times of home-work. And there is no home-work!

GCSEs - IGCSEs- GCE O Levels - have all been done from home by various home-schoolers, as have the American SAT exams which are easier (I've heard) to prepare for from home.

My children aren't social recluses - they love seeing their friends, both in our home-school group & friends from Church who do go to school. My oldest two are going to a young people's camp this summer - they're not "tied to their mother's apron strings" as critics would have you believe.

Cost - we don't get any help with it from the government. Home-schooling costs quite a bit, but you can download quite a lot from the internet if you choose to. We are not required to follow the National Curriculum, though some home-schoolers choose to. Others choose less structured paths. I put aside £75 a month to pay for workbooks etc, (this is for 4 children remember) plus we pay for piano lessons, French lessons, netball lessons (all to teachers who come to us, the latter two we join up with another family for), and swimming lessons at our local pool.

Others have quite happily spent much less than this and educated their children well, others spend far more. The answer to "how much does it cost", is "how long is a piece of string?" If you are determined to home-school you can do it on state benefits providing you belong to your local library.

We pay significantly less for holidays than families in school as we always go in school term-time - so you could put that money towards your home-school budget if you are used to paying August rates.

Home-schooled children do better academically in almost every area. Remember, the average child only gets 7 minutes of teacher time per day. If you can read to your children, you can teach them. We (home-school Mums) learn alongside the children; my mediocre secondary education has been shown up time and time again as my 11 year old tells me things that show an understanding of history that I didn't have when I started my degree.

If you've got any questions, feel free to ask.

HTH

Mez

[KimB]

I have recently started looking into homeschooling my 2 children, but have been having trouble finding groups in London (ideally West London) to join up with for events, shared resources, etc.

Would your sister mind sending me a few links?

Thanks,

Kim

[Miss Sherriff]

www.education-otherwise.org.uk
www.heas.org.uk

I hope that helps as a starting point.

[KimB]

Thanks, I had visited these 2 already. I suppose what I was looking for was a site run by a homeschooling group, along the lines of http://www.homeeducators.co.uk/index.html run by a group in Berkshire. There is also a site for homeschoolers in SE Kent. So far, can't find anything as formal for London, although I don't doubt there are a large number of parents out there doing homeschooling, given the research I have done.

Thanks for your help.

Kim

[mezhomeschool]

Hi Kim,

There are loads of groups in London. Your best bet would be to join EO who will then give you information about local groups and a contact list. For privacy / confidentiality reasons these things are not available to non-members.

I have posted a question on an e-mail list I am on asking for people to answer your questions regarding specifically London forums etc, so hopefully somebody will reply.

HTH

Mez

[MalibuBarbie112]

home schooling is definately an option as shaping 'lesson's' around the child has its benefits, however many psycholigical studies have recorded teh benefits of children remaining in school as it helps them develop emotionally and socially?

[londonflower]

HI Man U fan,
I home school in streatham,
can help loads with info but better to do it either by phone or meeting up
can you email me
@
HBlake@hotmail.co.uk

[mezhomeschool]

[LivPurple]

[color=violet]Hi Mez!

I'm not sure how I found this forum, but I'm glad I did. My family and I recently moved to London and we home school three of our children. I have yet to meet anyone who home schools. We live in London south and are looking for interaction with other like-minded home schoolers and church go-ers. Any ideas? Is there a home school group of moms who get together for any reason in particular?

I've never done a forum, so if you can email me, that might be best.

LivPurple[/color]

[layla gallagher]

Hey Im 15 years old and i was wondering if anyone knows how much homeschooling is and a website because im a girl who realy hates school and it makes me realy down and i just dont like being with other school kids .. so has anyone got any help for me ...x

I Live in suffolk btw ..x[/b]

[melhomeschooler]

mezhomeschooler...

You are just sooo much like me, everything you have been talking about on all your posts. Do you know of any good churches that somewhat support homeschoolers or have more homeschoolers than just one family? Looking in West or North London, closeby in Hertfordshire or Middlesex, I would drive a bit to meet nice people for us and our children. I have 3, my kids have also never been to school. We have been in England for nearly a year and these kids need friends. Been feeling like school is somewhere in the back of my mind for the sake of relationships but I know it would not be worth the switch! Would love to hear from you.

[mezhomeschool]

Hi melhomeschooler, if you email me on mezhomeschool at hotmail dot com I will chat with you privately - look forward to hearing from you!
Mez

[mezhomeschool]

hi Mel sorry it's mezhomeschool at hotmail dot co dot uk not dot com