Not back to school for lucky Southampton children.

Southampton home educating families taking part in a 'Not Back To School Picnic' on 16th September, 2009. The event, one of around 40 similar gatherings taking place up and down the country, is part of a campaign to raise public awareness of home education as a legal, viable and exciting alternative to school.

The campaign has been triggered by a controversial report to the Government by Graham Badman, following his review of Elective Home Education earlier this year. Implying that home educated children are hidden members of society, Badman recommends that Local Authorities are given greater powers to monitor, control and inspect home educating families, with access to the family home and the right to interview children alone - even though the police and social services don't have that power without warrant or court order and serious concerns.

Home educators are objecting to these proposals: the review found no evidence that home education is a factor in any form of child abuse, and the separate Rothermel study of 2002 concluded that home educated children in the UK achieved significantly higher scores than the national average in literacy and numeracy, and were socially adept.

The Southampton home education group, SEEDS, is five years old and currently has 44 member families, with a lively schedule of regular activities and educational visits. Nationally, hundreds of children are educated 'otherwise than at school' be it in a structured school-at-home setting, or a more 'free-range' autonomous approach.

For further information go to: www.education-otherwise.org.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• home
• elective
• education
• non-school
• parent
• choice
• badman
• independent
• review

[amicalia]

Really excellent!

[OurStory04]

Great job everyone!

[nicgee]

Excellent coverage - well done to all involved :)

[ukhomeed]

Fabulous! Very very well done both on the picnic, and on the brilliant video.