UK - Home Tutoring - Have my first inspec on Monday - have been home schooling my kids in UK for 3 mnth now.?

Question

The Education Welfare Office is coming round with the head of the EOTAS unit (Education Other Than At Scool) They have been supportive so far - I honestly expected some grief but no they sent good info out and have been helpful on phone the twice I rang them. The kids are doing gr8 and I have kept records of their work/progress. Our 41/2 yr old is reading Ladybird book 8 now - some 8 yr old can't read this. Our 6 yr old is reading far ahead of his ability and we do English, Maths, science, geog, history, rural studies (they are even growing their own veg), PE, Wellie walks, cookery, art so I feel we are covering more subjects than the 3 core subjects they expect. We would not do this if they hated it. But what do you say to a child that says can I do some more maths/reading now. They have outside interests for the social side and we feel they are good all round kids.

What will the meeting entail ? Any advice/tips please?

Answer 1

unless they say the education is insufficant (by the sound of it it won't be) ignore evrything they say.

you dont have to let them do a home vist, you can just send then proof that you are educating your children.

this is a good website for home ed advice http://www.education-otherwise.org/

Answer 2

You've got nothing to worry about. You've kept records, you're doing school type subjects, you're letting them do a home visit. LA's love HE families like that.

But if they give you any 'advice' remember you don't have to pay any attention to it. Unless they judge you not to be providing an education suitable to age, aptitude and abilities (which they won't) their task is OVER.

Answer 3

Don't worry!  We had one in January and it was fine.  Bear in mind that:

Neither you nor your children are legally obliged to meet an EWO.

Nor are you obliged to keep any diaries, or show them any work done by your children. (Ours didn't even ask to see any.)

Also you are not required to follow the National Curriculum or teach any specific subjects.

The only thing I did show her was some of the textbooks we were using so that she could recommend them (or not!) to others who may be following the same line of education as we are.   Your children are a lot younger than mine so you may well not be using textbooks anyway!  

Our lady was VERY nice, although I do hear that it does vary from LEA to LEA, so it does depend on who you see and which LEA you are in.  They are there to help YOU and your children, so just have a general chat about what you are doing.  You seem to have a good balance of subjects and that is what they like to see.

Everything will be OK.  Just be yourself.

Answer 4

I would expect they will examine your rsources their work and see if you have any structured lesson planning.

Sounds like you are doing a good job I may do the same for my kids they are 2 and 3 now. Tell me did they suppy you with any curriculum details or did you source it yourself..?