Post by fionan on Oct 31, 2011 21:41:35 GMT 1
Hi
Is it possible to get some Case Studies together to illustrate why Lancs policy is bad? If based on real examples or on combination of different real examples, removing identifying details, changing gender, age, specifics etc.
Sample Case Study ( I am making this up)
Child is bullied. Has missed a bit of school with bad headaches and stomach ache. Always down at the doctors but can't find anything wrong. Going for tests to hospital soon. School tells family there isn't a problem with bullying in their school. Implies child is too sensitive, doesn't understand teasing etc. After series of meetings with school getting nowhere, family finds out about home ed and send dereg letter to school.
School then fills out Council form saying concerns about home ed for negative reasons says child has been truanting and that parents "suddenly" withdrew child from school (implying impulsive, on a whim, possibly to avoid prosecution. School esp likely to say this if other families have reported bullying to get itself off hook)
School adds it has concerns that parents don't seem very educated themselves and child won't be able to do exams and will lose any chance of normal friendships.
This hypothetical child is traumatised and doesn't want to meet anyone from LA. Parents don't want to start academic stuff straightaway, but are terrified when they get the form about subjects they are meant to be teaching. Parents ask support lists for help and are told to "keep it all in writing and send them a really impressive ed phil." Family can't find ANYONE local with anything good to say about the Council. The people who do see the Council wish they didn't have to.
Rhetorical question: HOW IS THIS GOOD FOR SAFEGUARDING AND PROMOTING WELFARE?
What would be better? School should sort out bullying. Lancs Council should have legal policies and employ staff who understand about home education. As a bare minimum, school should just consult the rules and send in simple notification of deregistration for home ed, copying in the family as recommended in the Government's Home Education Guidelines para 3.8 and then the Council should follow EHE Guidelines for follow-up contact with the family.
"3.8 The school must (11) delete the child's name from their admissions register
upon receipt of written notification from the parents that the pupil is
receiving education otherwise than at school. However, schools should not wait
for parents to give written notification that they are withdrawing their child
from school before advising their local authority. Schools must make a return
(giving the child's name, address and the ground upon which their name is to be
deleted from the register) to the local authority as soon as the ground for
deletion is met, and no later than deleting the pupil's name from the register.
They should also copy parents into the notice to the local authority. Further
information is available in Keeping Pupil Registers, the Department's guidance
on applying the regulations."
edyourself.org/articles/guidelines.php
Is it possible to get some Case Studies together to illustrate why Lancs policy is bad? If based on real examples or on combination of different real examples, removing identifying details, changing gender, age, specifics etc.
Sample Case Study ( I am making this up)
Child is bullied. Has missed a bit of school with bad headaches and stomach ache. Always down at the doctors but can't find anything wrong. Going for tests to hospital soon. School tells family there isn't a problem with bullying in their school. Implies child is too sensitive, doesn't understand teasing etc. After series of meetings with school getting nowhere, family finds out about home ed and send dereg letter to school.
School then fills out Council form saying concerns about home ed for negative reasons says child has been truanting and that parents "suddenly" withdrew child from school (implying impulsive, on a whim, possibly to avoid prosecution. School esp likely to say this if other families have reported bullying to get itself off hook)
School adds it has concerns that parents don't seem very educated themselves and child won't be able to do exams and will lose any chance of normal friendships.
This hypothetical child is traumatised and doesn't want to meet anyone from LA. Parents don't want to start academic stuff straightaway, but are terrified when they get the form about subjects they are meant to be teaching. Parents ask support lists for help and are told to "keep it all in writing and send them a really impressive ed phil." Family can't find ANYONE local with anything good to say about the Council. The people who do see the Council wish they didn't have to.
Rhetorical question: HOW IS THIS GOOD FOR SAFEGUARDING AND PROMOTING WELFARE?
What would be better? School should sort out bullying. Lancs Council should have legal policies and employ staff who understand about home education. As a bare minimum, school should just consult the rules and send in simple notification of deregistration for home ed, copying in the family as recommended in the Government's Home Education Guidelines para 3.8 and then the Council should follow EHE Guidelines for follow-up contact with the family.
"3.8 The school must (11) delete the child's name from their admissions register
upon receipt of written notification from the parents that the pupil is
receiving education otherwise than at school. However, schools should not wait
for parents to give written notification that they are withdrawing their child
from school before advising their local authority. Schools must make a return
(giving the child's name, address and the ground upon which their name is to be
deleted from the register) to the local authority as soon as the ground for
deletion is met, and no later than deleting the pupil's name from the register.
They should also copy parents into the notice to the local authority. Further
information is available in Keeping Pupil Registers, the Department's guidance
on applying the regulations."
edyourself.org/articles/guidelines.php