Met the Badman dude today; well saw him from a distance and listened to him pontificate anyway. The upshot of it is that he said that Home Ed in the Uk will have to change, there is no doubt about it. He didn’t say how but he said that the Status Quo couldn’t be maintained. Will be interesting to see what develops. Also, someone told me today that the recent consultation was montiored by a company paid by the government to see who you were, where you lived etc. Interesting if it’s true.
Jo
Where was this, Jo?
My local group was considering inviting him along to one of our meetings, but I don’t think we’d have anything new to say to him.
Somehow I’m still retaining my positivity about the whole thing. Probably just naive!
My health visitor asked me unofficially the other day “do you still plan to home school?” (as my children aren’t of school age just yet) ... and I had to uneasily reply that if I say “yes” - I’m not sure what I’m saying “yes” to anymore. I wonder how long it will take for all of the changes they wish to make to go through.
It was at Blackwell Court near Bromsgrove. I agree about not knowing what the future holds; I think it’s scary. My guess, from the way the consultation was phrased, would be that visits will be compulsory and that they may even try to bring in some kind of curriculum. Personally I’m not against visits, but then we’re really blessed as our liason person is lovely. It’s the curriculum I’d have issues with. Don’t really think they’d be able to enforce it though.
Jo
All this will do is send families “underground” again as they move around to avoid detection.
You know I wouldn’t mind so much if there was evidence that HE kids are terribly behind educationally and are being disadvantaged - but that’s just not the case… why the hell change something that isn’t broken.
Sure bring in compulsory visits once a year or maybe twice…. but setting a curriculum is not in the spirit of the “education otherwise” section of the Education Act.
I am beyond disapointed with this damn government.
Graham Badman is the man who is heading the Review Board on Elective Home Education. He used to be head of children’s services in Kent but doesn’t seem to know an awful lot about HE,... until now.
Jo
Just let them try to impose a curriculum!!! I dont see how they are going to enforce it, without getting rather draconian, and I dont think they will somehow, as they know how hard HOme edders will fight to preserve their rights. Or they should know anyway!!!
Radha
Personally I’m not against visits, but then we’re really blessed as our liason person is lovely.
Trouble is, what happens if your lovely person gets a new job and someone less lovely comes along next?
We have 3 “inspectors” in our area- one seems to be OK, one seems very inconsistent and the third tells home ed families that they need monitoring because of Baby P and Josef Fritzl, and that lone parents can’t home ed (I am paraphrasing here, btw!). I will not let these people into my home!
It all makes you want to drop out of the system completely.
But even that seems impossible, these days without a ****load of cash.
I suppose we will have to fight our corners, and live our lives how we want to live them anyway, and do our best to show the world that it is ok to be different. As long as it isnt hurting anyone they should have no objection.
Radha
Here we go again…... control, control, CONTROL!!!!! 
