Monday 12 September 2022

End of Home Ed: A New Adventure


When William entered mainstream education (Year R) he started at the top of his class but by the end of the academic year he was bottom.

Behaviourally Will went from being enthusiastic, engaging and carefree to upset, anxious and emotional. He would have massive emotional outbursts heading to school and subsequently needed dragging in.

Within the schooled environment his behaviour become worse. There were incidents between him and other children and his responses were labelled "abnormally aggressive".

As a teacher (and also working with Ofsted) I knew the school's practices and policies that should have been in place to safeguard and support him. However they became defensive and hostile in response to having their flaws highlighted.

William's mum decided that Home Schooling would be the best option.

I, admittedly, was hesitant.

As a teacher I had met home schooled children. They often had educational difficulties and didn't meet state standards expected of their age; with difficulties distinguishing the difference between educational needs and, what was assumed, poor education.

His mum showed all the possibilities available and with every negative stereotype I put forward she countered. 

I dragged my heels until 2 points became painstakingly clear:

Will wasn't the child that we, in our hearts, knew whilst being mainstreamed.

• I was a primary teacher and if I wanted a "better" education for him then maybe I could do it myself.

I went into teacher mode: Made termly and weekly lesson plans, used resources to elevate the experience and sought support from others I professionally knew could help.

The first 2 years was a massive eye opener for me and with new understanding and adaptions I allowed a freer curriculum. We explored topics and places first-hand. Will created interpersonal abilities with a range of people, ages and cultures. Importantly, however, emotionally and behaviourally we got out child back.

Later on we started to craft his education based on interests, social understanding and vocational activities; not just replicating an institutionalised 9-3 education.

There were, of course, areas that showed weakness.

Educationally you find that when a Childs own understanding matures it naturally builds upon previous knowledge, allowing future educational expansion. He showed this in some academic areas but holes in Will's knowledge started to appear.

From our perspective Will identified as Autistic with additional educational needs but we needed proof.

Like my attitude at the beginning every place deemed Will's needs as poor education by poor parenting. My experience as a teacher or how organised his education was didn't matter; I was always a parent that was excusing my flaws with unsubstantiated additional needs.

Thankfully, in 2019 we managed to get an Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder and Hypermobility Disorder diagnosis through a paediatrician. They added that despite them not being able to clarify, they believed he had "other" educational needs. They did, however, state that: "Home educating William was the best thing you could do"...."[we] gave him a tailor made education in a 1:1 set up which a school wouldn't have been able to do for a long time. The gap in getting William the help he would need would have subsequently been made larger; something that home education corrected”

Although personally this was a wonderfully affirming statement we still needed more proof; being outside of mainstream education he/we had no evidence.

Eventually he was privately tested by an Educational Psychologist. They found what the paediatrician had suspected; Cognitive Processing disorder, Dyscalculia, Dyslexia and undiagnosed behavioural issues. In addition, he is educationally and emotionally behind his age.

This, again, was diagnosed but not witnessed in practice. The system didn't care. It wanted him in ANY school to prove what was needed at the expense of his wellbeing.

We had 2 possibilities:
  • A mainstream school with a specialist unit that takes Will but only on a trial basis wuth the right, after testing, to refuse his place.
  • A brand new autistic specialist school with no evidence or understanding of him or their ability.

We had confidence that his abilities would be sufficient and their facilities would meet his needs in the first school. However, the Council wasn't willing to do a trial period; either he's on their records or not. Subsequently, that school was removed from our options.

We knew we couldn't meet his needs in Home Ed and needed specialist educational support. We decided to accept the unknown school because even if he lasted a term it provided some evidence of his needs for the future. It also gave him a safer environment being slightly more additional needs focused than a mainstream school.

We then had a pleasant surprise. The school is amazing!!

Each class has no more than 12 pupils. Instead of a tiered system to educate, the class is reached individually per Childs ability. They have specialist staff for Autism and each staff is aware of the additional associated needs. They have lessons based on vocations such as farming (Cows, sheep, chickens, ducks and pigs on site) and cooking in real kitchen classrooms, counsellors on site and rooms for sensory needs to calm or release energy (depending on the child).

When it comes to exams they pursue BTechs in vocations over curriculum standards allowing each pupil a chance to enter society with a grounding for the future.

It's been 7 days and so far he's loving it! His classes are fun, engaging and he's finding that due to a mix of Functioning needs he can offer levels of knowledge to contribute to the lessons he's doing; subsequently making him feel included.

Admittedly he's not had any tougher moments but that just shows how comfortable and good the school is.

Every day he's got up, got dressed and been waiting for his taxi to take him; all with a smile on his face and a carefree attitude. Then when home he's chatty about what he's learnt, people he's spent time with and merits he's earned.

Finally, importantly, there's no sign of an overly anxious and traumatised child who's refusing school.

Although it's the end of home schooling for him it's just the future of what will come.



1 comment:

Kim Carberry said...

I am so pleased that William's return to school has gone well. How fantastic you have got such an amazing school. I am so happy for you's. x