Here is the job description for the new post of inspecting home education in Wigan. The new people will be starting work in September.
http://www.wigan.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/BD63268F-9E26-44A3-8D59-3EC2EE6FFF4E/0/SLA2April2011.pdf
A certain amount of anger is building over the fact that any home educator should feel able to follow this specification. Some of the points mentioned in passing, about the supposed duties of the local authority, are controversial. Many home educators believe that councils do not possess the duties outlined here. As a result, the home educating parents who have now been appointed to this post are being viewed by some as little better than Quislings.
A number of other local authorities have expressed interest in the whole notion of the 'Tasmanian Model', where home educators themselves carry out inspections and assess the suitability of provision. Personally, I think that this might be a way forward, but judging by initial reactions to the situation in Wigan, it might just create more ill feeling. At any rate, Wigan are blazing a trail and it seems possible that other local authorities will try the same idea out. Here are the minutes of the meeting at which the decision was made to allow home educators to apply for the job of monitoring the educational provision of other parents:
http://www.wigan.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/A4FCD015-BC13-4249-BC1D-206506046652/0/MeetingNotes_Updates.pdf
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"A certain amount of anger is building over the fact that any home educator should feel able to follow this specification."
ReplyDeleteWow, Simon, I think you've found an email list I'm not a member of (assuming you are talking about an email list). None of the comment I've seen (and I've seen little) has been particularly angry or negative. Tell all, where is this discussion happening?
I've spoken to someone local and according to them, local home educators are happy with the situation. I've not seen any anger on lists either so I'll be interested to hear Simon's response.
ReplyDeleteNot Simon, but there is certainly quite a bit of ill feeling about it on a national list that I am on.
ReplyDeleteActually I do feel that this good be a really positive thing if handled well and that it would be a real pity if the whole scheme got nobbled by those outside the area who disapprove in principle. After all it is those who live there who are the ones who will be able to tell if it works , and they should be left to get on with it without too much national politics.
Er, 'could' not 'good'
ReplyDelete'nobbled by those outside the area who disapprove in principle....'
ReplyDeleteThey can't resist this one, of course it will get nobbled.
NTM AND MFW have already started to issue their 'suggestions'.
ReplyDelete"Not Simon, but there is certainly quite a bit of ill feeling about it on a national list that I am on."
ReplyDeleteAnd there was me thinking I was on all the lists. I asked for the name of the list, or is it a secret?
Are the comments angry, as Simon suggests, or are they just not 100% positive?
ReplyDeleteI think it would be unreasonable and highly unlikely for any group to be 100% for any change that is likely to affect their families. But I've not seen anger. The discussion I've seen includes attempts to view the situation in a positive light as well as possible pitfalls (for both the person taking on the role and local home educators).
ReplyDeleteMine aren't angry, merely curious about how well it's going to work and the possible fall-out if it goes pear-shaped. Also, what may work there with current personnel may not translate elsewhere in the country or if Wigan gets new people in.
ReplyDelete"A number of other local authorities have expressed interest in the whole notion of the 'Tasmanian Model', where home educators themselves carry out inspections and assess the suitability of provision."
ReplyDeleteHow can Home Ed parents assess a child who has Special educational needs?
Anon said - "A number of other local authorities have expressed interest in the whole notion of the 'Tasmanian Model', where home educators themselves carry out inspections and assess the suitability of provision."
ReplyDeleteHow can Home Ed parents assess a child who has Special educational needs?"
I could ask the same question about the existing assessors (and frequently have!)
I've spent the entire lifetime of my children's Statements of Special Educational Need explaining how their autism affects what they do and what environment they need to the people who either decided on what provision they needed at school or whether our provision at home was suitable. Not one of them has ever had any formal training in autism or bothered to do the most basic research into it first. Nor, given that they ask the same sort of questions each year, have they listened to the answers or read the articles that I've enclosed about current research and intervention methods.
I very much hope that I've got the least competent Council in the country, and that everywhere else would at least look at the website of a charity dealing with the condition to get an overview of what it means and at the old 'Teachernet' to see what guidance is there for schools and what the main educational issues round it are. (for instance, auties are renowned for awful handwriting.) As a last resort they could listen to the parents and use their common sense
"How can Home Ed parents assess a child who has Special educational needs? "
ReplyDelete- but no one should be assessing children; only looking at provision?
Julie said...
ReplyDelete"How can Home Ed parents assess a child who has Special educational needs? "
- but no one should be assessing children; only looking at provision?"
Ah, Julie, but our council say they need to assess their needs so they can tell whether the provision is suitable. Which, in their opinion, means looking at their academic achievement with reference to that mythical average child and making sure that they are reaching their potential as part of the 'Every Child Matters' or whatever it's current name is, agenda.
Funnily enough, they didn't seem to see it like that when they were at school...