Out...FOR EVER
We did trip for same reason and got fine
they will know the history, having seen the war graves and actually stood in the British and German trenches.
“They can also speak a little of four or five languages including French, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian.
“We spent three months travelling around France so the girls could immerse themselves in the language.”
The Thorleys admitted being teachers is an advantage but said they had met many families on the road doing the same thing and there are some excellent educational apps for kids. They also use traditional teaching methods. But Richard said: “Not every type of child finds it easy to learn in the classroom.
“We feel our girls benefit hugely from being inspired by and learning from their environment.”
The couple admit it is not always easy living in such a confined space for months on end. The girls have their own room at the back of the van and the parents sleep in a drop down bed. Richard said: “I’d be lying if I said the girls never squabbled, but they’ve shared so much together.
“They’ve become best friends and are so worn out by the end of the day they usually fall into bed.”
The marathon field trip will end in September when Lottie goes to secondary school although the family has been home every two months so the girls keep friends and to visit family and the re-stock the van. Richard said: “We discourage the girls from being boastful about where they have been and what they have seen in front of their friends so there’s no resentment.”
The couple raided their five-year savings for the journeys and earn money from running a successful website and writing articles for travel magazines. They try to live on £50 a day and last year spent £18,000, an amount that ROSIE Sherry, 37, from Brighton, educates her four children, aged between two and 13, at home.
The business owner said: “Travel is great and opens their minds to the wider world. It encourages them to be independent. Because my children don’t go to school, they’ve joined me on business trips to the USA, Germany and the Netherlands. I took my two oldest out of school six years ago and the youngest have never been.
“My husband Graham and I feel conventional education has become irrelevant. The world has changed so much, yet education has not.
“One of my sons learned coding, which he probably wouldn’t have at school. They have freedom to explore interests and are independent.” EMILY Moore, 40, and partner Derek Hall, 43, were fined £60 each for taking daughter Brianna, 15, out of City Academy in Norwich to visit in Cuba in 2015.
Healthcare assistant Emily said: “It seems unfair there is one rule for some parents and one rule for others.
“We took Brianna to Cuba because we wanted her to sample the culture and appreciate how lucky she is compared with those in poorer nations.
“It is something we’d not be able to afford in the school holidays. Like these parents, we wanted to broaden her horizons while making sure she stuck to the curriculum. She passed her GCSEs with flying colours so her education was not affected. Yet we are punished and they are not.” included the running of their home in Yorkshire. Richard said: “Nothing goes to waste. We buy food locally and cook in the van. That’s not to say we don’t have the occasional meal out but we have a cooking blog on our site to give people examples of local cuisines.”
He added: “It’s been an amazing experience and we’re looking forward to more travels this year.
“Whatever happens we’re making family memories to last a lifetime and that’s the most important thing.”