Hello all,

Well here is a strange one! I have had an enquiry from a family who want to place two of their children with me one of whom is seven years old!

The reason he is not in school is he is being home schooled. Parents are intending to send him to school in September and want to use a Childminder as feel they can not stimulate him enough at home and that home schooling was a mistake. It will be for 2.5 days per week.

Has anyone any experience of a Home School Child being placed with a Childminder during what would be normal school term? Parents are of the opinion that with the Department for Education that with Home School they can pick and choose hours to home school so not a problem – I intend to check this with the DofE today to be sure as do not want to affect my registration.

Any advice is greatly appreciated on this one.

Many thanks in advance.

I have never been in your situation but I did look into the rules for home schooling with my ds. You do not have to stick to any set hours or subjects and can basically just teach 'life skills' if you want to, you don't have to sit any formal qualifications at all. However if he is board at home and needs stimulation what are you going to offer him? Do they expect you to formally educate him so he will be more used to it by September? With him being in your care during the day will he take up one of your under 5's spaces? Not sure how Ofsted will rule on that one as he is under 8 and not in formal education. I personally don't think I could offer him what he needs as well as looking after babies, but if you think you can then go for it!

Don't the parents meet other 'Home School' people? Could they not have a better suggestion as to what he could do to be 'stimulated'. I'm quite shocked to know that Home Schooled kids don't need to take exams or follow a curriculum. If the parents are not passionate about teaching then their child will be 'left behind'.

I know a lot of home schooled children some patents flow a school like paper work stature some use the hands on learning with loads of real life experiences and trips where no exams tests or paperwork is involved

All I can suggest is that if you take him on be clear you are not a teacher and it will be hands on

Surely of they regret it they can get him into school now!

Hi,
I really feel for the parents, sounds as though they're having a crisis of confidence. Very common amongst home educators: its not easy being in the minority where it seems everyone else believes you're harming your child by not sending them to an institution for 30 hours a week :rolleyes:

The parents are quite right, there are no timetable or or other restrictions. I'm wondering if maybe they just want him to have experience of a more formal setting, to socialise a little, before going in to full time school? I think a good thorough chat with them would help you to see if you can/ want to meet his needs. It is the parents' responsibility to make sure his is educated, not yours, so there should be no pressure on you to provide anything 'formal' or a curriculum or make sure he meets any particular standards. Plus of course, children of 7 learn through play just the same as under 5's. In the best performing european countries (literacy standards when they leave school), children don't even start formal education until they're 7 years old :).

I home educated my 2 and did have experience of not being able to get my son into Primary school (pressure from family: we said we'd try it). the school refused to admit him until the next school year without input from the Lea, who we really didn't want involved as our previous experience of them had been very negative and ignorant. Happily, we continued with our home ed ( he was aged 10 and not able to read at this point), told the family to take a run and jump and I now have 2 well rounded adult 'children'. One of whom is a successful restaurant manager, the other trying to decide whether to do an access course next year with the intention of becoming a psychologist or finding a way to work and train at the same time.

I hope you find a way forward. Good luck :)

I suppose it would depend on your setting. He would be bored silly here in the day with the babies and toddler groups etc. However afterschool he would enjoy it when the older children got here.

I would immediately dismiss it out of hand but I would have a good conversation with the parents about what they expected

I home educate my own children and have always advertised that I am willing to take on HE kids. There is no legal reason why you can't, but obviously you're unlikely to have other children of the same age. I would have a chat with the parents to discuss what they would want from you and go from there.

I home educated my now nearly 8 year old daughter after she had issues at school, she has now been integrated into a new school (which is idilic and Max of 9 per year group!)

It was an amazing experience and I would have loved to have continued it, but she showed an interest in going back to school and we had pressure from family etc (dh, mil,fil all teachers)

I did it whilst child minding and she played along with other children, played/did her own activities and then when little ones were asleep we did a more structured learning. However most was done through play as we do with the under 5s.

The great thing about home educating is it can be done anytime and anywhere, our best learning "lesson" was done on a weekend away, on the beach!

In wouldn't hesitate to do it again (in fact I would LOVE to do it again!) or take on other children.

Good luck with your decision x

I have a 4y whom I think will be HE. The parent's are both teachers. Mindee did attend the local nursery, for a few hours, but to be honest, mindee just did not gel with the other children. He now gets his NEF with me. I was made to understand that mindee would be HE'd but parent has made a few comments and I am not sure sure exactly what their intentions are now. Mindee doesn't reach compulsory school age till next year, so it remains to be seen what will happen.

I did say that I wouldn't mind mindee attending after supposed to start school, but did mention that it might not be very stimulating with much younger children. My mindee comes for six hours, twice a week, when both parents are working. The rest of the time, they share educating / care.

I home educated my now nearly 8 year old daughter after she had issues at school, she has now been integrated into a new school (which is idilic and Max of 9 per year group!)

It was an amazing experience and I would have loved to have continued it, but she showed an interest in going back to school and we had pressure from family etc (dh, mil,fil all teachers)

I did it whilst child minding and she played along with other children, played/did her own activities and then when little ones were asleep we did a more structured learning. However most was done through play as we do with the under 5s.

The great thing about home educating is it can be done anytime and anywhere, our best learning "lesson" was done on a weekend away, on the beach!

In wouldn't hesitate to do it again (in fact I would LOVE to do it again!) or take on other children.

Good luck with your decision x

Can't believe you had teacher family members pressuring you. Maybes it's just me with a jaded image of our education system ;)

I have a 4 year old with me 4 days a week and she will not be going to school but will continue to come to me. Mum wants to HE and will be doing that when she is not with me she just wants me to continue doing the things that we do now as her child is learning all the time whatever we do.

I have another friend that home educates 3 with a baby too. We spend time with them as well BUT her form of HE is not what I or Mum are comfortable with. The reason she withdrew her children from school was she objected to the Foundation Phase here in Wales as it was not formal learning at desks. Foundation Phase follows a northern Europe kindergarten model until 7 years and I like that style due to the results in those countries, like goatgirl says. So we are tolerant and leave if she starts "teaching"(she was a school teacher)

Can't believe you had teacher family members pressuring you. Maybes it's just me with a jaded image of our education system ;)

My dh was not as bad, but he had preconceived ideas of home ed children being withdrawn and lonely, and missing out of experiences that schools offer, (he is actually an outstanding teacher) but as he saw how bad she was emotionally and physically stressed with attending school, he agreed that she would be better of at home, but once she was better, he felt she was missing out so much on the social side of school, and to be truthful, the school she is at now has changed her life, her teacher is like miss honey from Matilda!

However, don't think I will forget attitude of in laws, they thought we were indulging her, and just giving her an excuse not to go to school, they can just about admit we made the right decision, 1 1/2 years on!

After working as a cover superviser and supply ta for a year in the lead up to my (unstarted) pgce, I decided I don't want to be a teacher in the schools around me, especially under the now government... But that's a whole other thread!

It depends I suppose on your setting and what you think you can offer the child

Im trying to imagine a child that age here with me and the toddlers and unless they are happy to play with sand , water , play dough, pretending they are running a cafe or changing dollys nappy then Im not sure they would get much out of it

Of course if you are able to visit museums , do some art and nature projects , offer experiences that will broaden their knowledge and skills then it might work

To be honest it sounds to me like the parents have run out of ideas and are passing the buck a little

Its not something I would entertain doing , I just dont think I could provide enough to keep them entertained , I can imagine them being grumpy and bored stupid , or am I just thinking of my soon to be 7 year old :D