Here is another positive article in the news about Home Education. This one is in the Guardian and is quite positive although it is mainly about 'Autonomous Education' or 'Unschooling' as many call it. It still talks about successful young people who were home educated their whole lives.

   It is just a shame that they always have to get a negative in from some 'professional' just to balance the article isn't it?

   I came across this press release regarding home education in Scotland from the 'Schoolhouse' organization. It contains some encouraging news about lots of people inquiring about starting home ed this autumn.

   It also contains some vital information for anyone in Scotland who is considering Home education, as the laws are slightly different. I'm pasting the press release here complete with all the links for anyone north of the border who needs the information on how to go about it.

press release from Schoolhouse

  This is an article about a student in Milton Keynes being named 'Student of the year' at his college. The really exciting thing is that this young man was home educated throughout his secondary school years!!!!!  He had experienced learning difficulties and bullying prior to being home educated. After being home educated he is now top of not only his class, but the whole college!!! Whoo hoo!

   I just thought this might be a real encouragement to some of the parents out there, especially those who are home educating secondary school age. And for those who are wondering whether to continue in secondary or not, let this be an encouragement to you too! You can do it!

   This article was in the Times last week. It actually has some very good examples of home education and how it is done well.

   The funniest thing is that after giving a glowing report of how well home educator's are doing it then has a laughable 'Do's and don'ts' section at the bottom. In this part they say that we should all follow the national curriculum (and of course we all know just how well that works for giving children a balanced education!) and to not even consider it after 11+ years of age! (because of course that is when they are starting to think independantly and we can't have young people in this country who can actually think for themselves now can we?)

   I think it is a funny old article over all. It couldn't find 'bad' information about home education and yet it had to come to a negative conclusion all the same!

   Home education works! Full stop. It works. And if you have done it or are considering it and you have an 11+ child, don't be put off because there are plenty of examples of home ed kids getting into top universities without attending 'school'. In the states they are now seeking out home educated pupils for their places in university because they are better educated, know how to work independantly, are serious students and arent' there to party all the time!

   While it is great to see home ed getting news time in major publications, it would be nice to see someone who doesn't feel they have to find a way to put it down all the time! Sigh!

   I know that the news of Khyra Ishaq's tragic death hit the headlines several days ago, but I was waiting to see something concrete regarding home education linked with it before mentioning it on here.

   This article from the Times online has both slammed the Social Services system and had a go at home education and the need for tighter monitoring of those who choose to.

   I've made no secret of the fact that I would welcome a mandatory registration of all home educating families in this country. However, legislation on the back of a tragedy is usually bad legislation! Things being done in a panic are usually not done well.

   We need to make our voice heard and also watch that home education doesn't get the blame for this precious child's death. She was only pulled out of school for ten weeks, so the problem was going on loooong before she was home educated. Let's make sure that the authorities don't loose perspective in this situation and make home educating the 'fall guy' as it were.

   If you have a chance, respond to the article or write to your MP and let them know your views.

   I know this is an article about the school system, but I thought it was something you could fall back on when you need to feel your not doing too bad of a job. Also helpful to have some statistics for those helpful friends and family who like to tell you that the local school could do a better job than you can!

   According to this article from the BBC this week "Ofsted chief Christine Gilbert says it is "unacceptable that 20% of pupils go from primary to secondary not fully functional in literacy and numeracy".

   20%??????? That is one in five kids who are not up to a 'functional' standard by age 11!!!! So if your kids are 'functional' in literacy and numeracy than be assured you are doing a better job than the majority of schools in this country are!

   I know this article  is written by an American about American's homeschooling, but I thought it wa interesting!

   Especially since he is soooo severe in his views about Creationism and Intelligent design being a load of rubbish! I find this interesting since there is sooo much evidence to refute Evolution!! Especially the fact that it was only ever said to be a theory and that the man who came up with the theory later recanted everything he said as being wrong!! (they seem to skip those bits in secular science courses...hhmmmm.....I wonder why?)

   You can also read a good blog post here on the Home Where They Belong blog with some people's answers to what he has said!

   This article on the BBC website shows how bad the average maths skills are in different areas of Britian. It is scary that some areas people are so bad at adding up without using their fingers (and we are talking adults here!), or working out bills, tips, or milages!

   (Commercial break here! )

   Of course, even homeschoolers can have trouble with Maths, but it shows why it is sooo important to get lessons right in this vital area of life skills. Bad maths skills can affect everyday workings the rest of their lives!

   Now we all know  that Math U See is the best homeschooling maths curriculum available in the UK! It also emphasizes strongly the life application of the skills being learned with 'real life' type of word problems. Making sure that children can translate the concepts they are learning into 'real life' solutions is very important.

   If you are interested in finding out more about Math U See you can click on the link in the sidebar, or email me for a *FREE* demo DVD.

   (Commercial break over!)

   Whatever maths materials you use in your homeschool, it is important to make sure that our children get a firm grip on maths to make their lives easier, safer and more productive in years to come. I personally hated maths and did very poorly at it in school. I have had to relearn ALOT of maths as an adult to manage finances and run a business. (thankfully the one maths course I took in school that made sense to me was Business and Consumer maths)

   Let's do our part to break the trend in Britian! Let's raise up a generation who don't need to use their fingers!!

   Here is the details and the introductory price is AMAZING value! So check it out!

   Yes. I realise that the events happening in California regarding the legal status of homeschooling aren't strictly relevant to us here in the UK. But in a way, the legal straight jackets that are put onto home education in other countries could eventually be adopted by our nation too.

   In this case the courts are making a ruling regarding one family's right to home educate, but that ruling can be used to set a precident that can be used against others, or eventually everyone in that state. That could potentially happen here, that one family end up in court and the ruling that is made could affect the laws regarding home education in the country.

    This is not to be scare mongering or anything!  Just that I think it is good to keep an eye on the major court rulings in other countries so we can be on the alert for any back handed attempts to affect our rights here. We shouldn't be like ostrichs with our heads buried in the sand! Things are very easy for us in this country, legally regarding home schooling that is. But we need to be alert to make sure it stays that way!

    Let's not take our freedom for granted! I also thought I would post this overview of the situation in California because I have seen some reports on other message boards with people questioning different reports about it. So I thought this would give everyone access to the true reports regarding the events and hopefully squash any 'chinese whispers' that may twist the story over time.

The Old Schoolhouse has MORE for you!   Check out these other fantastic resources: Schoolhouse Store HomeschoolBlogger.com HomesteadBlogger.com E-newsletters Support Group Leaders Group New to homeschooling? We can help! Simple Recipes for Homeschooling Success Homeschool Laws Support Groups Online Q & A  Looking for Curriculum? Schoolhouse Store Product Reviews Favorite Articles High School Special Needs Homeschool News Convention Tips Homeschooling 101 Styles The Natural Schoolhouse Free Stuff Free eNewsletters Contests Unit Studies Who We Are About Us Contact Us Advertise With Us THM Archives If you like The Homeschool Minute, you won't want to miss a single issue of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine!   The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Home Where They Belong   March 10, 2008   SPECIAL BULLETIN "The fundamental theory of liberty upon which all governments in this Union repose excludes any general power of the state to standardize its children by forcing them to accept instruction from public teachers only. The child is not the mere creature of the state; those who nurture him and direct his destiny have the right, coupled with the high duty, to recognize and prepare him for additional obligations." (Pierce vs. Society of Sisters, 1922) What In the World Is Going On In California? By Karen Braun By now, most homeschoolers across the country have heard about the California appellate court ruling handed down on February 28 ordering the children of Phillip and Mary Long to attend public school or a legally qualified private school. The judge's ruling surprised everyone and sparked a firestorm of concern among homeschoolers nationwide, many wondering if homeschooling had become illegal in California. The Old Schoolhouse Magazine staff has been following the developments since World Net Daily first broke the story a week ago. In this Homeschool Minute, we would like to provide a brief summary of the events and offer links to various perspectives to help homeschoolers understand this ruling, how it impacts homeschoolers in California, and what homeschoolers across the nation can do to help. To gain a better understanding of this case, it is necessary to note that prior to this ruling, the Long family had been involved with the juvenile court system regarding the care of their children. Such proceedings are confidential, and in most cases, a court-appointed attorney is provided to represent the interests of the minor children. The attorney representing two of the children was not satisfied with a ruling made by Superior Court Judge Stephen Marpet, who found the children's education to be "meager" but determined that Phillip and Mary Long have a constitutional right to school their children in their own home. The attorney for the children brought an appeal before the Second Court of Appeals of California. The California Second Appellate Court in Los Angeles found that the Longs had not demonstrated that any of the exemptions to California's compulsory attendance applied to their children. The court reversed the finding of the Superior Court and ordered the children to attend public or a "legally qualified" private school. The court remanded the case back to the lower court for a hearing to determine if the family was in compliance with the law. The family plans on appealing this ruling decision to the California Supreme Court. Read the complete court opinion here. The ruling spurred reactions from attorneys representing various homeschool groups and interested parties across the country. The Homeschool Minute provides these links for informational purposes related to this case and does not necessarily endorse these sites. Sunland Christian School. The Long children were enrolled in this school. Pacific Justice Institute (PJI). These attorneys are representing Sunland Christian School and advising the family. Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA). HSLDA presents several appeal options to reverse this ruling or diminish its impact upon California homeschoolers. There is a petition available for those interested in supporting the HSLDA's move to depublish the ruling. National Home Education Legal Defense (NHELD). Attorney Deborah Stevenson offers a detailed and informative analysis of this case. Several homeschool groups in California issued statements concerning this ruling: Homeschool Association of California California Homeschool Network Christian Home Educators of California Private and Home Educators of California California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued a statement in support of homeschooling: "Every California child deserves a quality education and parents should have the right to decide what's best for their children. Parents should not be penalized for acting in the best interests of their children's education. This outrageous ruling must be overturned by the courts and if the courts don't protect parents' rights then, as elected officials, we will." By the end of a long news week, the court decision reached the broader Christian community through a radio broadcast by Focus on the Family. Dr. Dobson discussed the California court case with several prominent guests. From All of Us at TOS We hope this information has helped you gain a greater understanding of the facts surrounding this case and its impact on homeschooling in California. The Homeschool Minute encourages you to pray for the family and those involved in this situation. Several of the websites present ideas about what you can do to help. We encourage you to prayerfully consider those ideas, to do all that you can to help retain the freedom to homeschool in our country, and to pass this message along to others. We will be following this case and will provide further updates as information becomes available. Join us again on Wednesday with our normally scheduled topic. And now as much as ever, be sure to enjoy every minute!           Forward to a friend! This email was sent to obgg1997@..., by publisher@... Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy. The Old Schoolhouse Magazine | PO Box 8426 | Gray | TN | 37615

   Here is a list of LEA's that have responded and links to their response to the new DFES guidelines. If yours is listed you may find it very interesting reading!

Following requests from individual home educators, we have heard from the following Local Authorities as to their responses to the 2007 DfES consultation on home education guidelines:

Bolton

Bournemouth

BrightonAndHove

Calderdale

Cambridgeshire

Cornwall

Doncaster

Lancashire

North Yorkshire

Nottinghamshire

Portsmouth

Southwark

Stockport

Suffolk

Surrey

Swindon

Warwickshire

Worcestershire

    If you LEA isn't listed here be sure to keep checking back to the website as they are adding new ones as soon as they get the responses in. You can find the list here at Action for Home Education's site. 

   Hope you find this information helpful and informative. I just thought it is good for us to know what is going on with the LEA's in our areas.

   Personally I found our LEA (Nottinghamshire) to be a little unimpressed with the new guidelines. They seem to find there are alot of places for children to slip through the cracks. Our personal experience of them is that they are EXTREMELY helpful and supportive of our choice to home educate. So I have no worries about them.

   Most of their concerns seem to be focused on families who make a snap decision to home educate as a quick solution to a problem in school without really weighing up the costs and the commitment. Fair enough! There are many families who are not prepared to make or sustain the commitment it takes to home educate.

   I have never found them judgemental or had any pressure on me to return the kids to school or to change a single thing we are doing. Under the 'recommendations' section of the inspection form it usually says something like 'continue with current provision'. In other words keep doing what you are doing!  That suits us just fine!

   Hope you enjoy the reading if your LEA is listed!

   Here is a link to an article that interviews some German homeschooling families who have fled to the UK to be allowed to continue homeschooling! Very interesting read. We may find this becoming more common as the freedom to homeschool is restricted in many european countries. We are one of the most free countries in europe for homeschooling!

   Value the freedom we have as others are fighting to get here and have a taste of the freedom we enjoy (and often take for granted!).

   Here is another article showing Home education as a viable alternative. These are still all coming on the back of the Primary education report from Cambridge.

   This time they say it is rising due to fear of crime in the schools. I personally don't know too many who list this as a reason, but I'm sure there are many. And if you count bullying in 'crime' then yes, there are many families doing it for that reason.

   They are trying to argue that home education is 'dangerous' due to being too unregulated in the article, however their solution is not to regulate it more!

   The government is caught in a catch 22 situation from what I can see. They want to regulate home education so they know what is going on and to stop the tiny minority of children who are at risk and slip through the cracks. But if they regulate home education then they will simply be validating it as a viable alternative! Something they certainly don't want to encourage! LOL!

   At least all this press is getting the message out there that home education is legal - is a viable option - and can be done! That's got to be a good thing!

   So, did you see all the headlines yesterday about the new Cambridge based, independant report into Primary education in Britian? Almost every paper had an article about it and they ALL mentioned homeschooling as an alternative to our failing British school system!!!!

   So here is the link to the BBC article called 'England young among most tested' which has this wonderful line in it.

Educational alternatives, including Steiner-Waldorf schools and home schooling, produce better academic success.

   And here is the link to the article in the Guardian which is titled 'State schools shunned for home education' so I think it is pretty obvious that they are in favour of home ed, don't you?  Here is just a small taste of the wonderful things said in this article.

English schoolchildren are among the most tested in the world. "No other country appears to be so preoccupied with national standards," it says. The research says home-educated children perform better and that children from disadvantaged backgrounds can improve disproportionately. Home-educated pupils are less likely to watch TV or spend hours on computers.

   Now all that is needed is for the Government to actually pay attention to a report that doesn't say what it wants to hear! LOL! It is certainly good stuff though, and could quiet a few of your personal critics if you need any help with that. Just print these off and let those who are still undecided about your choice to home educate read these reports for themselves! They may not object quite so loudly in future!

   How about a famous Rugby player right here in the UK homeschooling his six kids? How is that for high profile homeschooling?

   Thought you might be interested in this article about retired England Rugby player Jason Robinson. He and his wife have traded in all the glamour for a simple life on a farm in the North West.

   He is hoping to get a caravan and tour the country with the kids (homeschooling along the way) so they can learn about and see more of the UK.

   Sounds good to me! Check it out! It isn't often that we find 'personalities' in the UK homeschooling!

   I just received the following information about how the NICE guidelines are due to include recommendations that local LEA's have to try and get s*x education to home educated children in their area!!! This is getting WAY too intrusive! I'll keep you posted of any updates I get, but thought you all should know.

The National Institute for Health & Clinical Excellence (NICE) has decided
to include home educated children in the scope of guidance being prepared on
behalf of the Department of Health regarding the teaching of PSHE. (The full
title is: 'School, college and community-based personal, social and health
education focusing on s*x and relationships and alcohol education'.)

In its draft scope, issued on 14 September 2007, NICE stated that 'children
and young people who are educated at home' would NOT be covered by the
guidance. However, in response to submissions from several bodies (see
below), the final scope now states that children in 'education other than at
school, including home education and pupil referral units' WILL be included
in the scope of the guidance -
http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/pdf/PSHEFinalScope.pdf (para 4.1.1).

The guidance will be sent to local authorities who will then mediate it to
maintained schools and home educators in their area. (Independent schools
are not covered.) While the guidance will not be statutory and not have the
force of law, it is not difficult to envisage some local authorities using
it to put pressure on home educating parents to deliver a type of s*x
education they are not comfortable with, or to insist that all home educated
children attend sessions arranged by the local authority. (It is not unheard
of for local authorities to try to insist on giving 'puberty talks' to home
educated children and I fear that this guidance could be used to legitimise
this kind of intrusive approach in some areas.)

There will be further consultation during 2008 and 2009, with the final
guidance due to be issued in September 2009.

For further information and to request registration as a stakeholder,
contact the project co-ordinator, Brian Travis, at Brian.Travis@...
Or to register your concerns with NICE, give them a ring on 020 7067 5800
and ask to speak to the person responsible for the guidance on PSHE. It may
be worth pressing the point that neither independent schools nor those
educating their children 'otherwise' than at school are bound by the
National Curriculum, yet NICE are proposing to include home educators within
the scope of the guidance. When I mentioned this to the lead official for
the guidance at NICE, she argued that independent schools were at liberty to
download the guidance from the NICE website if they wished. Hardly an
answer, since home educating parents could also download it if they wanted
to do so! The difference is that home educators are included in the
document, while independent schools are not.

Groups who asked for home educated children to be included in the scope of
the guidance were:

British Association for S*xual Health and HIV: 'The needs of those educated
at home should be considered. The assumption may be that they are not a high
risk group, but this is not known. Can resources be provided for those
home-educated?'

Central Lancashire PCT: 'Why will this not affect children and young people
educated at home?'

East Sussex County Council: 'The omission of home-educated children is a
concern; this cohort includes some very vulnerable children and young
people. Perhaps guidance could address LEA supervisory/advisory duties for
this cohort, and liaison with home educators' associations e.g. 'Education
Otherwise' could be useful.'

Healthcare Commission: 'CYP not educated at home may not be covered under
the elements of the guidance which is delivered but perhaps (hopefully) they
will have access to provision through youth, voluntary and community
services. Information for home educators could still be provided through
voluntary networks. Could explain provision for 0-4 is through other
channels and cite (perhaps that's for the guidance when published!)'

Jo's Trust: 'Children and young people educated at home should be covered by
any guidance.'

S*x Education Forum: '"Groups not covered". It is unclear why this document
would not be relevant to children educated at home.'