I am considering home educating my two eldest who are already at school. I have always considered home educating and even more so recently as the kids school is not close and I am expecting my 4th at the end of september. I usually always have to give up driving at some point in the pregnancy and taking the kids to school via public transport will end up taking nearly 4hrs out of my day. And even when I’m driving again I think it will be really stressful to try and do the school run with a newborn, I found it hard enough when we lived around the corner!
We do have a school nearer but my husband is adament about not moving them to this school as is my daughter, she said she would like to be taught at home. I wanted to know if I could home educate for a trial period without them losing their place in their current school? For example if I took them out from sept for a term? does anyone know if I can do this? How would I go about asking? I think I am feeling nervous about making the right decision because if it dosn’t go as I imagine and decide to send them back to school they would loose the place in the school they have been settled in.

I had a friend who took her kids on a trip around the world for a year without them losing their primary school place. The school gave them assignments to take with them. Maybe suggest to the school that your kids will be staying with relatives or something, as I’m not sure how favourably it would be looked upon that you just weren’t able to get them there, however valid you and I might believe it to be….

Angie

I would talk to the school/ and or your local authority.  You may be able to find some information on their respective websites.  My understanding is that in some areas where a child is taken out of a school to be home educated there is a cooling off period (not sure if that is the right words or not) whereby your place(s) in a school are held open in case you change your mind.

You might also like to consider flexi- schooling, whereby they have some days at home and some at school.  You would definitely need to talk to the school to see whether they would consider this.  You would also keep your school place open, if they returned to full time at a later date.

My sister is 12 has been having a hard first year at big school and trying to keep up with her ballet (she hot a place at Hammond ballet school but it’s too expensive without a scholarship :()
As a result my mum has taken her out of school- about anmonth ago, and has decided to home ed as a trial until maybe new year. It’s going well- she has had lots of advice from home ed mums she’s got in touch with and there are a couple of home ed orgNisations that’s she’s also supported by. The school- after initial shock, have supported the decision. I think it’s worth a go- they are an age where they are not going to stuggle to catch up if you decided it didn’t work out for you.
Get lots of advice and support and give it a try?
My Lo is under school age ATM but I would seriously consider it too x
Good luck with the decision x

Please let me know how you get on. I am thinking about another baby and I am that person who does 4 hours a day on public transport to get ds1 to school.

Thanks for all your advice, after lots of thinking I am going to ask school for a flexible schooling arrangement so I can home ed them for a term and then see how how we get on. I’ve got the most nerve wreking bit of speaking to the head teacher now! I hope she is positive about it.

How did it go?