Home Education Progress

Out of the blue, on Saturday, my eldest (10) came to me and said that he and his brother (8) had decided to "take control" of their learning (and there's me thinking they already were!). They had apparently agreed to a plan of learning - and to prove it he showed me a timetable that they had drawn up. He is going to read out his space books to his brother, and try to explain them, and they will then do some project work on it. Their first "assignment" was to draw out the universe. S showed me very proudly the picture he had drawn and said "J said it was really good!" J told me that he was very pleased with "how much S took in and seemed to understand". They have worked out the times of the learning programmes that they want to watch regularly and included those on the timetable.

I have no idea where all this came from, but I think it is briliant! Especially as the formal learning has been so patchy, with me not around, I am so very proud of them for this initiative.

Poor old Roarke has enough trying to balance work, and being the "house husband" around that, whilst I've been at Mum's, without getting them focused on too much education!

I recently asked Medway and Kent LEAs for full details of their Elective Home Education Procedures, under the UK's Freedom of Information Act. I have had a response from Medway and am awaiting same from Kent. I have to say that it doesn't make very good reading.

The most contentious bit is this: "The Social Inclusion Manager will also request information regarding the child(ren) from Police, Child Community Health, Social Services, Special Needs department within Education directorate and their previous school"

I believe that technically they are acting outside the Law. Section 12 of the Children Act 2004 was brought into operation in England only on 1st January this year and it is that Section that sets the precident for data sharing. However, that does not mean that any data-sharing was allowed by it as it is an enabling section which allows the Sec of State to bring a database into force. This will only be when Guidance is in place. It looks like draft regulations "The Information Sharing Index (England) Regulations 2006" have been published but not yet brought into force. It is the HE community understanding that some areas are piloting the above, but that is not part of the draft. I am taking advice from the "big guns" of the HE community, and will then go into battle over it.