MEDIA INFORMATION FROM SCHOOLHOUSE HOME EDUCATION ASSOCIATION
For immediate release, Monday 11 August 2008
UPSURGE IN HOME EDUCATION INTEREST
With the new school session about to begin, the national home education support organisation Schoolhouse has reported an upsurge in enquiries from parents whose children are dreading a return to the classroom and who are now actively considering home-based education as an alternative to school.
Coupled with a record number of enquiries from parents who choose from the outset not to send their children to school, the charity believes that greater public awareness of parental rights and responsibilities in relation to compulsory education is contributing to a rise in the number of home
educated children.
However, Schoolhouse is warning parents in Scotland to ensure they comply with the relevant legislation north of the border and are not misled by websites or organisations which purport to advise on UK home education but refer exclusively to English law. While the legislation may appear similar, there are some significant differences, especially when it comes to removing a child from a state school. [1]
Schoolhouse Convener Alison Preuss said:
“Since access to information about educational alternatives is now much more open, thanks mainly to the Internet, many parents who contact Schoolhouse have already done their own research into home education, but often report finding conflicting information regarding the legal situation.
“It is frustrating to hear from families who have run into difficulties with their local authority, having relied in good faith on erroneous information and removed their children from school without following the proper procedures.
“As an exclusively Scottish organisation, we can reassure parents that the Schoolhouse website [2] contains accurate and up to date information about home education in Scotland with a link to the current statutory guidance issued by the Scottish Government [3].”
Founded in Dundee in 1996, Schoolhouse is still run entirely by volunteers and deals with more than 1200 enquiries a year with seasonal peaks and troughs. August is always a busy month as the start of the new school term looms.
Alison continued: “We expect an increase in enquiries at this time of year from parents whose children find going to school difficult for one reason or another, as well as from those who just want to make contact with other families as they begin their planned home education journey.
“Issues such as bullying and unmet special needs are cited in many cases where parents report seeing their children relax and flourish during the long summer holidays before becoming highly stressed at the prospect of going back to school.
“Callers often describe their frustration at hitting brick wall bureaucracy when trying to resolve school related problems and many simply do not believe that the one size fits all school system can provide for their child’s aptitude and ability.”
In an effort to raise awareness of the importance of parental involvement in education, regardless of whether children go to school for part of the time or not, Schoolhouse is hosting a conference and family weekend in Arbroath from 12-14 September to celebrate International Freedom in Education Day.
Keynote speakers at the ‘Learning Without Limts’ event will be New York author and former teacher of the year, John Taylor Gatto, and Iain Nisbet, head of the Education Law Unit at Glasgow’s Govan Law Centre.
Parents with an interest in children’s learning are invited to attend and share their views on education with professionals from the public and voluntary sectors.
For a programme and booking details, visit www.learningwithout
ENDS
For further information, contact Alison Preuss on 0772 962 3532 or media@schoolhouse.
NOTES FOR EDITORS
[1] The Education (Scotland) Act 1980 requires parents to ensure their children are properly educated, either by sending them to a state school or by other means, but where a child is already a pupil at a state school, parents are required to obtain the consent of the local authority to withdraw them (although stated exceptions apply). In England, the child may be removed immediately on written notification by the parent unless the child attends a special school.
[2] See www.schoolhouse.
[3] See www.scotland.
Learning Without Limits: a celebration of choice, diversity and freedom in education Arbroath, Angus, 12-14 September 2008
Special guest: John Taylor Gatto
http://www.schoolho
http://www.learning
media@schoolhouse.
