School is not compulsory

[ailbhe]

We joined Education Otherwise, the UK's home education charity organisation support network thing, on Friday night, filling in an online form. The members' pack arrived today. It's a very good pack; I was impressed. We have a membership card, a list of local contacts, a list of national venues that give discounts to home educators similar to the discounts they give to schools, the newest edition of School Is Not Compulsory, a little handbook about the law and useful information for dealing with Local Education Authorities (where "dealing with" doesn't mean "being unnecessarily confrontational towards" but covers everything from "being benignly ignored by" through "working with" and on up to "fighting in the courts") and other stuff, and a newsletter - with a whole section by and for children.

That was a very very fast turnaround, I think. Mind you, the person in question processed our application at 00:42 on Saturday, so perhaps she got it posted Saturday morning.

So! Now we have a support network in place, which is nice, and I can get familiar with it before I actually need it much, and also we got a free book.

(On the other hand, we're not going anywhere today, because I overdid it at the weekend and caused my knees to swell up, my shoulders and chest to get sunburnt, and I think I strained my eyes in the sunshine. Linnea seems quite content to practice her Independent Play in the cool, dark indoors, though; all the windows and curtains are closed against the heat, due to get up to 32C today, and we're usually hotter here than the local forecast predicts).

Comments

[megaleena.livejournal.com]

That's really interestign to know, even as a non-parent. I guess it's such a 'norm' that kids go to school that you don't even consider that it's not actually the law to send them there!

[ailbhe]

Ah, my lovely mother (and a child called Sofia who had her very own donkey) made me aware of the possibility while I was still in primary school!

[megaleena.livejournal.com]

:D

Sorry to be nosy, but did you feel....ostracised at all? Or if you were were you really not bothered? Or did you live near loads of kids and were still friends with them anyway?

[ailbhe]

I was seriously ostracised throughout my 14 years attending normal state schools. Outside school, I had few friends, but they were good friends I was able to choose myself. My mother has often regretted not being able to take me out of school but at least she never tried to tell me she thought I ought to be happy there.

Rob had a fine primary school experience but secondary was, well, let's not go there. Outside school, he seems to have got on fine with pretty much everyone - I've met no-one, as far as I know, who dislikes Rob. He's that kind of bloke. Got hell at school.

[megaleena.livejournal.com]

Ah, I see. And, again sorry to be nosy but this really interests me, don't answer if I'm being rude, was it home educating you got, or did you go to a parent run school type affair?

[ailbhe]

I think you missed an important point - I spent 14 years, from 3 to 17, attending regular state schools. My mother was unable to remove me from the system, much as she wanted to.

Linnea is very like me, and I was very like my mother. Formal schooling doesn't suit us much at all. My mother and I had to endure it; I hope Linnea never will. ("Endure" means unwilling; if she chooses school, she's welcome to give me 5 mornings off a week!)

[megaleena.livejournal.com]

Oh gosh, sorry, I read that wrong. So you weren't allowed to leave? That's terrible! I can't think of anything moer frustrating than being ni a situation which you dislike, knowing tehre's a solution but not being able to take it.

[ailbhe]

After the custody case and before I was 16, we weren't even allowed to have me *change schools* lest my life be unnecessarily disrupted. It sucked mightily. But, you know, we all survived, though my mother only barely did, and she's totally in favour of my home edding my own kids if that's what seems like the best thing for them.

[megaleena.livejournal.com]

Urgh. I see why it's necessary to have those sorts of laws in place in case something *does* go wrong after custody is awarded but jeesh. Y'know, if you say you hate it at 15 3/4s how is that different to 16? A child, however young, knows if she really dislikes something and shoulf be listened to.