The road less traveled
Year 4 & 5, we started flexischooling my son in Math. The schedule suited us amazingly because we sent him to a new school near London which was outside of…
Success or Trust the Process!
Allow me to introduce you to my 15-year-old teen. He has never attended school or any mainstream education settings. From crafting imaginative dens and concocting porridge recipes at the tender…
How getting curious helped me home educate two children with different interests
If you said over breakfast, “what would you like to do today?” my two boys would choose completely different things. There is nothing wrong with that, we are all unique…
Home Education as Recovery & Recuperation
👋 I’m Nicola, mum to Isaac (17) & Heidi (14), unschooling in rural Oxfordshire for over 9 years now. A traumatic start point launched us into this lifestyle, when my…
Considering Home Education for the first time
After consulting with the school yesterday following 7 months of distress and anxiety, I have come to the decision to sign my 13 year old son out of school for…
Time, Courage & Memories – reflections on a journey
“Learning is for Life & it Begins at Home” I love children. I think I am still a child at heart. Growing up in Asia, there were always children around…
Reflections on a Journey
This reflection I wrote for a family blog in 2017 when we stepped out of school. I rediscovered it again this week and thought I would share it here. It…
We got our daughter back!
Three years ago, our daughter entered secondary school and, initially, seemed to thrive. It is a well respected school, the same one our boys had gone to with positive experiences.…
Consider the Trees
I’m usually the first one awake and this morning was no exception. I walked out to my spot in the living room, Moreton Bay glimmering on the horizon, a thin…
How I started appreciating home education
In the middle of studying for my English language IGCSE exam, at age 14, I could never have fathomed pursuing any kind of writing as a career. I didn’t like…
Taking the leap & no regrets!
If you had told me when my son started school in 2011 that we would become home educators, I honestly would have laughed out loud. Coming from a family of…
Flourishing Grandchildren!
“What are you doing to enable your children to flourish?” asked the school inspector of me – a newly appointed and very young headteacher. Since that wonderful and significant day…
Deschooling myself
“Do you remember when we learned all about the Sumerians when you were younger?” I asked my 18 year old daughter. “We dressed up, made different foods, and even did…
I Feel Proud of Myself
The photo is such a special one to me, the happiness and laughter on my daughter’s face is one thing – but there is something that you can not see…
Home School Economics
It is a rare family indeed that isn’t hit by the financial impact of home education. Let’s be honest about that. Whether tag-teaming shift work, paying for books and resources,…
Socialising
Surprising as it may sound, I consider socialising one of the great unsung strengths of home education. Children learn social skills from others around them. In a home education scenario,…
Dyslexia
I started home educating before I had any idea that my daughter might have any learning difficulties. She was clearly a bright child, making her milestones, curious and interested, and…
From Home Education To Self-directed Education; Things I’ve Learned on Our Journey.
We’ve been on this crazy home educating journey now for four years and let me tell you it’s a rabbit hole! What looks to be a simple premise on the…
Remember the End Goal
My story began over 20 years ago when our 1st child was born. As new parents, we were full of idealism and wanting the best for our daughter and we…
Breathe, Take Your Time, Find Your Feet!
When we first started two years ago, we bought a big expensive boxed curriculum, which worked well for us initially but as I found my feet, I discovered that it…
From Mainstream to Home
We joined the world of home education over two years ago with our two girls who are now 13 and 10 years old. They are very different from each other…
A Family World Adventure
One of our dreams all through our homeschool journey was that one day we would be able to take a year out and go travelling with our family – early…
From Home Ed to School
I was homeschooled until I was 17 and one of the biggest benefits has been being with my family a lot of the time. My memories of early homeschooling…
Why We Chose to Home Educate
Oliver, our eldest son, was born on the 26th August, a summer-born baby boy. Oliver was a bright, inquisitive baby and toddler – always asking questions at every opportunity and…
The Glorious Days…
There aren’t many whole days that I could describe as ‘glorious’, but they come as moments, sometimes hours if we’re lucky. They’re the moments our kids are rolling around laughing…
Leaving School Age 9
The start of my learning journey actually began in school. We lived in Leeds when I was little and I started school age four. I don’t remember too much other…
Looking Back on My First Year
When my 9 year old daughter innocently explained that she was using disassociation and self-harm strategies to get through maths lessons, we knew we’d never walk her over the threshold…
Why Are So Many Professionals Leaving the System?
Why are so many professionals leaving the system? My story looks at why there is a rise in the number of children being home educated but also a rise in…
School to Home Ed
I was in school until I was 10 years old. I actually moved school twice as we moved house. My school in Bristol was my last school where I was…
Finding Community
Stepping into the world of home education when you have been in the education system was a challenge for me. I stepped out of our cosy school community (which also…
Why We Chose to Home Educate
Oliver our eldest son was born on the 26th August, a summer born baby boy. Oliver was a bright, inquisitive baby and toddler always asking questions at every opportunity and…
Socialisation – Busting Those Myths!
As a home educating mum of 7 children, I’ve had ample opportunity to become aware of, and observe, all the benefits and drawbacks of home education. Obviously, like so many…
Why We Are Home Educating
MY SCHOOL EXPERIENCE My own school experience was on the whole, positive. As my parents were largely ‘uneducated’ immigrants who spoke very little English and worked long hours, school gave…
Not Missing Out on Childhood
I know that there are some people who are drawn to home-education who enjoy watching quietly from the sidelines, not yet ready to take the plunge themselves; some are fearful…
Moving From School to Home Ed
Our journey into home ed began when we finally accepted that our daughter’s primary school did not have the resources to effectively support our dyslexic daughter with her learning. At…
It Was Only Meant To Be for Two Years
Our home education story began a number of years ago when I was working as a youth minister at a church in Surrey, UK. It was during that time that…
Dyslexia
_____Καλώς ήλθατε …. χαίρομαι που σας βλέπω. “Can you skim through this and then answer the following questions?….” I certainly couldn’t. I would have to decode it bit by bit.…
At the Start of the Journey
We took our children out of school at the ages of 10,6,6. It was not a rash decision; it was one we had explored, nearly done when we had moved…