Mistaking School Attendance for Education

Coming out of hibernation briefly to draw your attention to plans that will effectively remove the presumption of innocence from people who have chosen to educate their children otherwise than in school, and that will establish an adversarial relationship between home ed parents and LEAs.

One of the most distasteful aspects is that the new guidelines are being promoted as a means to ensure that tragic cases such as Victoria Climbie are not repeated. Why, then, is the emphasis on home educated children? LEAs already have the duty to report children they consider to be at risk. If existing procedures had been followed, that poor child may have been saved. Apparently, it will also cut down the number of forced marriages. As so often with this government, it seems that new rules rather than effective implementation are the magic bullet. The DCSF is leaving itself open to accusations of shroud waving, and even dog whistles, to deflect attention from the restrictive content of the new guidance.

What is worse, I doubt that even the frothier ideologues genuinely believe that for all imaginable children in all imaginable circumstances, a school will better suit that child's needs than his or her own parents. Schools are large, bureaucratic institutions, and while I will resist the urge to attack the entire institution of schooling (and there's another series of posts right there), they cannot achieve a more complete understanding of the individual child's needs than committed and attentive parents. I would argue at this point that the vast majority of people who have chosen to educate their child outside of school (obligatory and perhaps belated declaration of interest - that includes us) have taken a much more thorough and considered decision than those who simply send their kids off to school because "that's what everyone does."

And if schools can't do it as well as parents, then why should we expect an inspector from the LEA to make an informed judgement with even less time spent with the child? And, don't forget, this guidance allows the LEA to decide that the proffered education is not suitable, and to order school attendance. Now, if you were such an inspector, do you think you would be properly funded and supported? If there aren't enough health visitors to go round (and yes, I know HVs are not beyond criticism - how much information does their training contain on breastfeeding? Why are baby formula manufacturers funding provision for HV training?), then how many LEA inspectors will be chasing Home Ed kids? And what do you think they will be likely to do, to reduce their workload? It makes sense from a bureaucratic point of view for every child to be in school, but I'm old-fashioned, I still think systems ought to work for the benefit of people, not the other way around.

So what can you do? Well, there's alot more background here and here, and then there's an online consultation response, which shouldn't take more than ten minutes of your time, here. Alternatively, you could send comments via e-mail to CME.CONSULTATION@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk The consultation ends on Friday, so quick action is appreciated. Please feel free to link, cross-post and otherwise promote in appropriate ways.