The Schoolhouse  Did You Know?  A5 leaflet is now available for downloading here.

Please print as many copies as you like and circulate to spread the word about home education.

Scotland’s national home education charity Schoolhouse has welcomed news that draconian measures threatening the future of home education in England which had been tabled in the Children Schools and Families Bill will not now pass into legislation. Thanks to vehement opposition by Conservatives and Liberal Democrats before and during the wash up period, which immediately precedes dissolution of the UK Parliament in anticipation of a general election, plans to regulate home education in England out of existence have effectively been defeated. Commenting on the news that Ed Balls’s parent licensing plans have been stymied, Schoolhouse convener Sheila Struthers said: “This is…

Schoolhouse has been receiving reports of parents being pressurised into “registering” children for school when they have not reached statutory “school age”.  Some have been informed that this is a legal requirement when that is not the case. We have also been concerned to hear from parents who have been misinformed about the necessity to obtain council consent to withdraw their children from state provided nursery education when the children have not attained statutory school age, are not attending a primary school and are therefore exempt from any such requirement (which applies only to school age children who are attending a…

Schoolhouse enquiries are showing a worrying trend which suggests that ‘services’ are now actively seeking out home educated children and requesting health and other information. We hope to take advice on the legality of such requests soon. In the meantime we are suggesting that any parent who is in receipt of such a request should write back asking why this information is  required and for what purpose, whether or not they are obliged to provide it and, if so, on what legal basis? Unfortunately, we expect the numbers will continue to rise as the publication of the Getting Right For Every Child (GIRFEC) pathfinder…

Schoolhouse continues to be deluged with enquiries from home educators throughout the UK who are concerned about the implications of the Badman review for home educators in Scotland. Some are thinking of relocating to escape the draconian measures proposed by the DSCF, while others are concerned that the Scottish Government may have similar plans to regulate the practice of elective home education, most especially autonomous home education, out of existence. The Badman review is not directly relevant to Scotland as education is a devolved matter, although Scottish MPs are entitled to vote on English education issues. Those who are concerned…

Following the high profile case of two policewomen in England who were said by Ofsted to be acting outwith the law by entering into a reciprocal childcare arrangement, Schoolhouse contacted the  Care Commission to request clarification of the relevant regulations  in Scotland.

They have now responded to our query as  follows:

“The Care Commission takes the view that it would only be in circumstances where a person was being paid for looking after a child that we would require them to register as a childminder.”