Freedom For Children To Grow: The Home Education Campaign

This is why I've been so busy... have been designing the website referred to in the press release below! Please spread the word about this Campaign - we need to reach every part of the home education community:

"NATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR HOME EDUCATION

Freedom for Children to Grow

By now many of you will be aware that the DfES are planning to hold a consultation wrapped around home education. The DfES has not released an official title for the consultation and the launch date also appears to have been delayed. This gives us a window of opportunity to inform ourselves as to exactly what might be planned and to act to protect our historic freedoms. Forewarned is forearmed.

EO has been aware that this consultation was in the pipe line since being asked to attend a meeting with DfES on December 19th last year. At that meeting EO found out that the consultation will is probably going to look at the following three areas, there may be more.

Compulsory registration of all home educators.
A definition of "suitable" education [ as per 1996 Education Act Section 7 ] which may move away from what home educators regard as "suitable to the child" and shade into age- specific standards and a broad and balanced curriculum.
Monitoring of standards and formally introducing measures of "progress" and "educational outcomes"

If this goes any further than the consultation stage then this has the ability to have a big impact on all home educators. EO is aware that there are questions being asked as to what EO intends to do faced with the threat of this consultation. Education Otherwise are taking this very seriously and during the last few weeks have been building a Campaign website, which will enable as many home educators as possible to be kept up to date with any important outcomes or changes. It will also enable all home educators to take an active part in our national campaign.

EO is thrilled with the new site which will be the hub of the national home education campaign "Freedom for Children to Grow"

This site is now live and ready to use as a resource for all home educators. It is not exclusively for EO members it has been designed to be a useful tool for anyone who home educates. We are hoping that it will help anyone wanting to be involved in an active campaign to do so. Everyone can play a very important role in the campaign and can add their voices and a wealth of experience to the cause.

There has already been a great deal of behind the scenes action taking place. EO now has an active Campaign Team who is hoping to have lots of requests from home educators to join the Campaign. You can mail the team here

There are also Regional Workshops being organised so that home educators can meet with members of the EO Government Policy Team and find out what the results of this consultation may mean to them and how they can actively participate.

The new website is a wonderful resource where home educators can now read letters written and communications to press that EO has already penned since learning about the consultation.

EO have written a briefing paper that can be viewed on their site. It is very informative and gives a comprehensive background of events leading up to this consultation.

We would love to hear your comments about the new site, which has been built entirely by EO volunteers who have been working hard to make sure that the site was live by the time EO held its AGM. We made it! We hope you will find the new site both user friendly and informative."