New forum providing support for home educators
A group of home educators and their families from across Warwickshire attended our very first forum at Hill Close Gardens (pictured right) on Wednesday 23rd January.
The afternoon was lively and informative with debates on a range of topics including social media, special educational needs, resources and activities, signposting to pots of funding and support to access services and businesses only geared up for school term times.
Attendees talked passionately about wanting Warwickshire County Council to raise the profile of home education in a positive way, to “dispel misconceptions” and to celebrate the success of their children.
We asked the children at our forum to tell us their success stories and one great thing about being educated at home and this is what they said:
“ I’m doing physics now (I’m 14 now)”
“I did a GCSE at 13 years of age and got an A."
“I have taken Grade 5 trumpet and passed with distinction”
“I rolled a kayak and went down an artificial white water course”
“12 performances Big PlayBox Christmas Show!”
“Home Education, Better Education”
“Outside school I can run around. Inside school I’m not allowed to run around. (5 years old)”
“That I am free to be anything I want, well sort of. One of the many reasons I left school was bullying”
“You don’t have to be shouted at by school teachers and you can do what subject you want”
Parents told us the forum was really positive and they were keen to work with us on a variety of activities. As a result of the forum we are now progressing the development of a county wide directory of resources and activities for home educators (including those new or about to embark on home education) and will all meet up again in March 2019.
In Warwickshire, the numbers of home educated children mirrors a national upward trend: 480 children are currently home educated (0.6% of Warwickshire’s school age population). Nationally, there are in excess of 57,000 children now educated at home. There are proposals for reform to the current guidance for home education which is due to be debated in the House of Commons in the near future.
You may also be interested in an article dispelling some myths around home education, published in the TES last week.
For further information, queries or to offer any support for our home educating community please contact Annette Firman, Lead Professional for Vulnerable Groups:
Email: annettefirman@warwickshire.gov.uk Tel: 01926 736323
Web: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/homeeducation