There is no doubt that the educational system within the United Kingdom is one of the most advanced and comprehensive in existence. While the majority of parents choose to engross their children within traditional classroom settings, others prefer home schooling. Whether they wish to place a greater degree of focus upon specific subjects or the child has special needs. There are many valid reasons behind such an approach.
However, it is just as important to appreciate the legal ins and outs of home schooling as well as some practical considerations. Let’s therefore take a closer look at the current regulations before moving on to discuss some potential concerns.
Home Schooling in the UK: What Does the Government Have to Say?
Were you aware that school represents an opt-in service throughout the United Kingdom? In other words, parents can choose whether or not to enrol their child within a state-sponsored curriculum. In the event that the child is not registered, he or she is required to be home educated by default.
Secondly, it is not compulsory for children to actively attend school unless they are currently enrolled and are attending classes. In this case, they will need to abide by attendance guidelines.
A final note revolves around what the government refers to as “age-appropriate education”. The primary issue here is that no clear definition has been provided. This is likely due to the fact that some children will naturally progress faster than others. Thus, parents will need to determine what type of subject matter is presented to their child while gauging how quickly he or she progresses through the material. This leads us directly into the next section.
Sure-Fire Home Schooling Tips and Tricks
Have you decided to home school your child? If so, there are some important topics to briefly address. The first involves how you proactively monitor how he or she adapts to these settings. Thankfully, modern technology provides a host of solutions. One tool that is used by parents and teachers alike is the Educater EYFS tracking system. This software bundle provides a comprehensive means to note the strengths and possible weaknesses of your child. As it is fully customisable, this bundle is also ideal for parents who have specific goals in mind.
There are still some other factors to take into account when establishing an educational curriculum from home. These include (but might not be limited to):
- The amount of time you can devote each day.
- How much educational resources will cost (these will no longer be covered by the school system).
- The structure of the classes.
- The style of learning (relaxed as opposed to formal).
Home schooling is becoming an increasingly popular to traditional classroom settings throughout the United Kingdom. Although this approach does indeed offer a host of merits, there are still some practical concerns to tackle well in advance. After all, the ultimate goal is to provide your child with a quality education that serves as the foundation for future success.