Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Carnival of HomeSchooling
to be found here. I found the introduction particularly relevant as I have myself quite recently become very aware of just how extensive, how meaningful and how hugely enabling all those home educating connections really are - and that to include people we have never even met!
In which last regard, thanks to the good folk at The Scratching Post who might just have saved us the trouble of making our own electro-magnet.
In which last regard, thanks to the good folk at The Scratching Post who might just have saved us the trouble of making our own electro-magnet.
The Whole History
..leading up to the proposed consultation on possible changes to the statutory framework for home education can be found here. Thanks EO.
What About Wales?
Given that Education is devolved in Wales and the Welsh Assembly therefore have the last call over this, how much of what is going on in England will affect the situation for Welsh Home Educators? Welsh Home Educators are gearing up. They too are getting ready for action. They just want to know how ready they should be, so the good people at EO are trying to find out from the DfES, but it rather looks as if the DfES aren't too sure either.
For example, with regard to the Education and Inspection Act 2006, which contains, amongst other gems, Section 4 - Children Missing from Education, the DfES have said: "so far as exercisable in relation to Wales, is to be taken to have been transferred to the Assembly by an Order in Council under section 22 of the Government of Wales Act 1998 (c. 38)."
Welsh groups are eager to know more. (Thanks EO.)
For example, with regard to the Education and Inspection Act 2006, which contains, amongst other gems, Section 4 - Children Missing from Education, the DfES have said: "so far as exercisable in relation to Wales, is to be taken to have been transferred to the Assembly by an Order in Council under section 22 of the Government of Wales Act 1998 (c. 38)."
Welsh groups are eager to know more. (Thanks EO.)
Schoolhouse Press Release
From Scotland:
SCHOOLHOUSE SLAMS COUNCIL IGNORANCE OF THE LAW ON HOME EDUCATION
The national home education support organisation Schoolhouse has reacted angrily to comments made by Highland councillors who have inferred a direct link between home-based educators and 'dysfunctional families'. In the wake of representations from its members and the wider home education community, Schoolhouse is now considering making a formal complaint to the
Standards Commission, the body which investigates alleged breaches of the code of conduct for elected members.
Schoolhouse spokesperson, Alison Preuss, said:
"Schoolhouse invites Highland councillors to withdraw the comments they have made about home-based education being a cause for concern and would remind them of their duty to respect and uphold the law at all times. According to Scottish Executive guidance (1), home-based education is a key aspect of parental choice and parents do not require the local authority's permission to educate their children outside the school system. The only consent that parents in Scotland currently require is for the withdrawal of their child from a state school, and this may not be unreasonably withheld by the council.
"Highland councillors have evidently expressed grave concern at the number of children in the area who are being home educated, describing it as 'scary'. But it should come as no surprise that parents are bypassing a school system which is no longer fit for purpose and is widely held to be failing countless youngsters.
"Highland councillors also seem to believe that parents need a reason to remove their children from the school system when, legally, the provision of education is a parental function. Schools are there to serve families and should of course be subject to a rigorous inspection regime so that parents can have confidence in those to whom they entrust their children's education.
"Our own grave concern is that some elected members are misrepresenting the legal position, deliberately or otherwise, and inferring that parents are generally not to be trusted with their own children's education. In reality councils already have adequate powers to intervene if they have evidence that suggests a failure on the part of parents, and claiming that the law is
about to be changed to suit their Big Brother agenda is disingenuous. We are now considering whether to make a formal complaint to the Standards Commission about a possible breach of the councillors' code of conduct as it is unacceptable for elected members to seek to mislead the
public in this way.
"Home educating families in Highland have been asked to speak to the media about their experiences, but none we have contacted is prepared to do so in the light of such irresponsible comments by people who should know better. Research evidence is stacking up that home educated children are more socially adept than their schooled peers and that they consistently
outperform them in standard academic tests. The bad news about home-based education is very hard to find, and a deliberate smear campaign against law abiding home-based educators will not be tolerated."
Schoolhouse met with representatives from the Scottish Executive last week to discuss aspects of the statutory guidance on home education which is currently being reviewed. There are no plans to amend the primary legislation in which "education by other means" is enshrined as an equal choice to state schooling. (2)
ENDS
For further information please contact media@schoolhouse.org.uk
NOTES FOR EDITORS
(1) See http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/education/gcech.pdf (PDF)
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/education/gcech-00.asp (Online)
(2) Education (Scotland) Act 1980, s30
SCHOOLHOUSE SLAMS COUNCIL IGNORANCE OF THE LAW ON HOME EDUCATION
The national home education support organisation Schoolhouse has reacted angrily to comments made by Highland councillors who have inferred a direct link between home-based educators and 'dysfunctional families'. In the wake of representations from its members and the wider home education community, Schoolhouse is now considering making a formal complaint to the
Standards Commission, the body which investigates alleged breaches of the code of conduct for elected members.
Schoolhouse spokesperson, Alison Preuss, said:
"Schoolhouse invites Highland councillors to withdraw the comments they have made about home-based education being a cause for concern and would remind them of their duty to respect and uphold the law at all times. According to Scottish Executive guidance (1), home-based education is a key aspect of parental choice and parents do not require the local authority's permission to educate their children outside the school system. The only consent that parents in Scotland currently require is for the withdrawal of their child from a state school, and this may not be unreasonably withheld by the council.
"Highland councillors have evidently expressed grave concern at the number of children in the area who are being home educated, describing it as 'scary'. But it should come as no surprise that parents are bypassing a school system which is no longer fit for purpose and is widely held to be failing countless youngsters.
"Highland councillors also seem to believe that parents need a reason to remove their children from the school system when, legally, the provision of education is a parental function. Schools are there to serve families and should of course be subject to a rigorous inspection regime so that parents can have confidence in those to whom they entrust their children's education.
"Our own grave concern is that some elected members are misrepresenting the legal position, deliberately or otherwise, and inferring that parents are generally not to be trusted with their own children's education. In reality councils already have adequate powers to intervene if they have evidence that suggests a failure on the part of parents, and claiming that the law is
about to be changed to suit their Big Brother agenda is disingenuous. We are now considering whether to make a formal complaint to the Standards Commission about a possible breach of the councillors' code of conduct as it is unacceptable for elected members to seek to mislead the
public in this way.
"Home educating families in Highland have been asked to speak to the media about their experiences, but none we have contacted is prepared to do so in the light of such irresponsible comments by people who should know better. Research evidence is stacking up that home educated children are more socially adept than their schooled peers and that they consistently
outperform them in standard academic tests. The bad news about home-based education is very hard to find, and a deliberate smear campaign against law abiding home-based educators will not be tolerated."
Schoolhouse met with representatives from the Scottish Executive last week to discuss aspects of the statutory guidance on home education which is currently being reviewed. There are no plans to amend the primary legislation in which "education by other means" is enshrined as an equal choice to state schooling. (2)
ENDS
For further information please contact media@schoolhouse.org.uk
NOTES FOR EDITORS
(1) See http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/education/gcech.pdf (PDF)
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/education/gcech-00.asp (Online)
(2) Education (Scotland) Act 1980, s30
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Essential Reading (For Me Anyhow).
Oliver Kamm on Ken Livingstone, Multiculturalism of the Right and Left and the real meaning of Civil Society.
Reason to Be Cheerful
Rather than suffering the slings and arrows of what seems like ill-informed central government diktat, we see this sort of local initiative as the better way forward towards establishing satisfactory relationships between local authorities and home educators.
If second link still doesn't work (for reason I can't work out), try downloading file from here. Wait for first download to complete, then right click on the download button and choose "save target as". You should get there! - Thanks Dani.
If second link still doesn't work (for reason I can't work out), try downloading file from here. Wait for first download to complete, then right click on the download button and choose "save target as". You should get there! - Thanks Dani.
One Very Big Reason to be Cross
If we thought we could sit back and relax for a bit, what with the consultation on "light touch changes to the monitoring of home educators" aka "an Examination of the Statutory Framework for Home Education" being delayed, I suspect we should think again. The reason? Well, some of us had, before yesterday, allowed ourselves to hope that the delay may have had at least something to do with the wide response from individual home educators detailing their objections to the possible proposals in the consultation, but it seems, (OK predictably, but nonetheless still SHAMEFULLY), that the DfES are not going to take such responses seriously.
This because we heard yesterday from Adrian Thompson of the DfES, that the DfES regard local authorities, Home Education Advisory Service, Education Otherwise and another organisation that isn't even a home ed org at all, ie: the Family Education Trust as the stakeholders in this affair. Nothing about the real stakeholders here at all, ie: home educating families.
Complaints about failure to observe Cabinet Office Guidelines on how to conduct consultations are being sent from at least one organisation. Might not hurt to write your own and cc it to the Cabinet Office, the DfES, their legal department, your MP, you name it.
This because we heard yesterday from Adrian Thompson of the DfES, that the DfES regard local authorities, Home Education Advisory Service, Education Otherwise and another organisation that isn't even a home ed org at all, ie: the Family Education Trust as the stakeholders in this affair. Nothing about the real stakeholders here at all, ie: home educating families.
Complaints about failure to observe Cabinet Office Guidelines on how to conduct consultations are being sent from at least one organisation. Might not hurt to write your own and cc it to the Cabinet Office, the DfES, their legal department, your MP, you name it.
Monday, January 29, 2007
Home Education in Dorset
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Links of the Week
*New Sisyphus on Hitchens and Steyn, and Hitchen's improved version of a ten-point plan.
*Norm on the Guardian's disgraceful treatment of the Jewish predicament.
*Little Green Footballs on BBC censorship and the importance of the blogosphere.
*Norm on the Guardian's disgraceful treatment of the Jewish predicament.
*Little Green Footballs on BBC censorship and the importance of the blogosphere.
Why I'm an Unschooling Mom
..from Natural Living.
The first bit of the story is remarkably similar to my own progression from working-outside-the-home mum through to a working mum of an entirely different sort ie: someone who would be on hand to provide resources, answer questions and offer suggestions to my children, whilst they learnt according to their ability and aptitudes.
The first bit of the story is remarkably similar to my own progression from working-outside-the-home mum through to a working mum of an entirely different sort ie: someone who would be on hand to provide resources, answer questions and offer suggestions to my children, whilst they learnt according to their ability and aptitudes.
Last Call for Carnival of Unschooling Voices
Posts on the subject of deschooling for the February edition of the Carnival of Unschooling Voices to be there by February 1st. Quick...Ann?
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Friday, January 26, 2007
Leave Them Kids Alone
From ARCH
"As you know, we’ve been working hard on the use of children’s fingerprints in school. Increasing numbers of schools are installing systems that use fingerprints as identifiers in the
school library or canteen and also for registration purposes.
We are at last making some real progress, and there are indications that the Information Commissioner may even seek amendment to the Data Protection Act.
We must keep up the pressure now. Greg Mulholland MP has tabled an Early Day Motion 686 which you can see here.
Please, please would you mind contacting your MP as soon as possible, asking him/her to sign this EDM. The more signatures it receives, the better the chance that we can get this worrying
practice stopped, or at least tightly regulated. You can email your MP easily through this site.
It doesn’t matter if your child is not at school: it’s the whole principle of using biometrics for low-level purposes that is at stake here. If we simply let it carry on in schools, there is a
real risk that these systems could become routine in other situations – the local library? The leisure centre? "
Pippa and I have been working closely with Leave Those Kids Alone – see their website for more information about the campaign."
= = = = = = =
This is what I wrote (via Write to Them):
I am writing to ask if you would consider signing the Early Day Motion recently tabled by Greg Mulholland at http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=32367&SESSION=885.
I share his concerns about the growing practice of the collection and storing of biometric details of children in schools where information such as photographs and fingerprints are stored on unregulated data collection systems and potentially insecure school computer networks where they could potentially be misused.
I also understand that collecting such data from children under 12 without parental consent directly contravenes the Data Protection Act.
I would ask you to call on the Government to conduct a full and open consultation with stake holders, including parents and children, on this issue as part of the review of guidance to be undertaken by the DfES.
= = = = = = = = = = = = =
"As you know, we’ve been working hard on the use of children’s fingerprints in school. Increasing numbers of schools are installing systems that use fingerprints as identifiers in the
school library or canteen and also for registration purposes.
We are at last making some real progress, and there are indications that the Information Commissioner may even seek amendment to the Data Protection Act.
We must keep up the pressure now. Greg Mulholland MP has tabled an Early Day Motion 686 which you can see here.
Please, please would you mind contacting your MP as soon as possible, asking him/her to sign this EDM. The more signatures it receives, the better the chance that we can get this worrying
practice stopped, or at least tightly regulated. You can email your MP easily through this site.
It doesn’t matter if your child is not at school: it’s the whole principle of using biometrics for low-level purposes that is at stake here. If we simply let it carry on in schools, there is a
real risk that these systems could become routine in other situations – the local library? The leisure centre? "
Pippa and I have been working closely with Leave Those Kids Alone – see their website for more information about the campaign."
= = = = = = =
This is what I wrote (via Write to Them):
I am writing to ask if you would consider signing the Early Day Motion recently tabled by Greg Mulholland at http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=32367&SESSION=885.
I share his concerns about the growing practice of the collection and storing of biometric details of children in schools where information such as photographs and fingerprints are stored on unregulated data collection systems and potentially insecure school computer networks where they could potentially be misused.
I also understand that collecting such data from children under 12 without parental consent directly contravenes the Data Protection Act.
I would ask you to call on the Government to conduct a full and open consultation with stake holders, including parents and children, on this issue as part of the review of guidance to be undertaken by the DfES.
= = = = = = = = = = = = =
Thursday, January 25, 2007
In the Case of a Flu Pandemic
We are told, of course, that it will happen and plans have been drawn up in order that the nation should survive it. I have to say that it seemed from the documents here that the state will be remarkably reluctant to close schools, for even if advised to do so by the medics, and the DfES passes on this advice to the schools, the DfES intends to leave it up to the board of governors to actually decide when to shut the gates.
Yeah right: in this situation, I really want my children to be left in the hands of someone with, in all probability, almost no medical expertise whatsoever, but who may well be rather concerned to please the higher-ups, who in turn will be rather concerned, given that they seem to think the following:
"If schools close, is there a duty to provide alternative education?
Local authorities have a duty to provide education for children of compulsory school age who are out of school. Schools would remain open to staff, who could set and mark work, but getting it to and from pupils is an issue that will have to be addressed. We are looking into whether and how DfES can advise or assist local authorities, and will provide more guidance later this year. "
Hmm. Well of course, one way out of this dilemma for them, (which could presumably land them in court for failing to provide most of the schooling population with an appropriate education) would be to say that the parent is responsible for provision of education under these circumstances, and that therefore the child is effectively home educated.
Yeah, that would seem to solve the problem, though maybe not, if they decide to go ahead and make themselves liable for monitoring all home educators, for you can be damn sure that given that home educators already resent LA officers on their doorsteps, they won't be in much of a mind to let anyone in, come the year of a flu epidemic.
Yeah right: in this situation, I really want my children to be left in the hands of someone with, in all probability, almost no medical expertise whatsoever, but who may well be rather concerned to please the higher-ups, who in turn will be rather concerned, given that they seem to think the following:
"If schools close, is there a duty to provide alternative education?
Local authorities have a duty to provide education for children of compulsory school age who are out of school. Schools would remain open to staff, who could set and mark work, but getting it to and from pupils is an issue that will have to be addressed. We are looking into whether and how DfES can advise or assist local authorities, and will provide more guidance later this year. "
Hmm. Well of course, one way out of this dilemma for them, (which could presumably land them in court for failing to provide most of the schooling population with an appropriate education) would be to say that the parent is responsible for provision of education under these circumstances, and that therefore the child is effectively home educated.
Yeah, that would seem to solve the problem, though maybe not, if they decide to go ahead and make themselves liable for monitoring all home educators, for you can be damn sure that given that home educators already resent LA officers on their doorsteps, they won't be in much of a mind to let anyone in, come the year of a flu epidemic.
Campaign Workshops
From Fiona N, who amongst many others is doing stirling campaign work on the DfES's "light touch changes to monitoring of Home Educators", we hear that:
"Annette Taberner (chair of Sheffield HE Network) and I, Fiona Nicholson, are running a pilot workshop in Sheffield on Sunday 28th January 2007, from 11-3 at Heeley Institute S2 3DT.
Phil Hicks the Chair of the Education Otherwise Government Policy Group will also be there, along with an experienced local journalist who has worked for government media departments in Leeds and who will be explaining how to work with the media and get them on your side. There will also be a social worker explaining the impact of Every Child Matters agenda at local level. This social worker is a local home educating parent.
Creche facilities available.
FORWARD NOTICE:
There will be other EO regional workshops along similar lines in the Tyne and Wear area and in the vicinity of Bromley in Kent.
All three workshops will have at least one member of the EO Government Policy Group to present a brief (ish ) overview of the situation and to answer questions from the floor.
Also:
To volunteer or communicate your views to the EO Government Policy Group please use the email governmentpolicy@education-otherwise.org"
"Annette Taberner (chair of Sheffield HE Network) and I, Fiona Nicholson, are running a pilot workshop in Sheffield on Sunday 28th January 2007, from 11-3 at Heeley Institute S2 3DT.
Phil Hicks the Chair of the Education Otherwise Government Policy Group will also be there, along with an experienced local journalist who has worked for government media departments in Leeds and who will be explaining how to work with the media and get them on your side. There will also be a social worker explaining the impact of Every Child Matters agenda at local level. This social worker is a local home educating parent.
Creche facilities available.
FORWARD NOTICE:
There will be other EO regional workshops along similar lines in the Tyne and Wear area and in the vicinity of Bromley in Kent.
All three workshops will have at least one member of the EO Government Policy Group to present a brief (ish ) overview of the situation and to answer questions from the floor.
Also:
To volunteer or communicate your views to the EO Government Policy Group please use the email governmentpolicy@education-otherwise.org"
Not Knowing What They Don't Know
There are times when I am quite astonished at the level of sophistication of the conversation Dd (4) and I have together. Yesterday, for example, on a car journey back from seeing friends, we discussed the pros and cons of white lying, which we defined as lying with good intention. She saw the pros and provided all the cons, in other words she had the subject completely. I would have been quite pleased with myself had I had such a conversation with a teen or even an adult.
Five minutes later Ds and I were talking about an older friend of his who we hadn't seen for a few months.
"He has changed so much", Ds remarked.
"Yes, he isn't a boy, anymore." I added.
Dd, from the back seat "Wha? He's a girl?"
You see, the thing is, even though I know her so well, I still don't know what she doesn't know, but at least she isn't now going round thinking Jaspar's a girl. How many more of these sorts of mistakes go by unnoticed in a school classroom, I wonder.
Five minutes later Ds and I were talking about an older friend of his who we hadn't seen for a few months.
"He has changed so much", Ds remarked.
"Yes, he isn't a boy, anymore." I added.
Dd, from the back seat "Wha? He's a girl?"
You see, the thing is, even though I know her so well, I still don't know what she doesn't know, but at least she isn't now going round thinking Jaspar's a girl. How many more of these sorts of mistakes go by unnoticed in a school classroom, I wonder.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
More Ruth Kelly Letters
...from home educators. This time in the Northern Echo and The Western Daily Press.
Education Otherwise Briefing Paper for Home Educators
From the EO Government Policy Group a superb Briefing Paper for home educators.
If you wish to make any comments, please mail governmentpolicy@education-otherwise.org
If you wish to make any comments, please mail governmentpolicy@education-otherwise.org
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