It is home education that allows a child to flourish...
PARENTS HIT BACK AFTER COMMISSIONER SLAMS INCREASINGLY POPULAR WAY OF SCHOOLING
PARENTS who home-educate their children have spoken out against the Children’s Commissioner’s safety concerns, as statistics show the number of home-educated children doubled in several Greater Manchester boroughs.
Home education includes parents who choose to keep their children out of school for social or personal reasons, parents who choose to educate as their children can’t find a school to suit their needs, or even parents who intend to keep their children out of the eyes of the authorities.
Children’s Commissioner Anne Longfield, who published her report last weekend, said: “For thousands of children – and increasing each year – there is no school where they fit in.
“There is no school bell, no timetables, no lesson - no education.
“And that often means no friendship either.”
However Julie Riddles, from Chorlton, who has home-educated all five of her children since 1994 with her husband Alan, said that home education allowed them to learn in a less pressured environment.
She said: “We have had groups for home education in the past.
“I have five kids, four of them are grown up now. I have shared things with people before - I have a degree in literature so I ran little groups like make your own poetry or recommended books to read.
“My older daughter went to nursery but I think they were too young then. I had worked as a nanny and there I noticed there was a separation of children and adults worlds.
“I noticed I would ask a child a question, and he would stop for a moment and rather than just speak to me he was trying to figure out what to say, not naturally following our conversation.
“With my children, through conversation we explore different ideas and I try to make sure they speak to lots of different adults who have lots of different opinions.
“With my daughter, I remember thinking she was too young for nursery. I think she wasn’t getting what she needed from it as well.” Mrs Riddles