Home Education and Child Performance Licences

[Roo]

Hi Everyone,

I know this may apply to a few people on the board... Do any of you home educate? If so, do you have a problem with getting licences from your local education authority. My son does the odd tvc and stage stuff and was wondering if we might stuggle to get a licence if we took the plunge to home educate for a while.

Regards,

Roo

[sullyandmike]

Hi Roo,

My son is home educated, and we have NEVER had a problem with his licences. We have a great relationship with our LEA, who view his acting etc as an extension of his education. HE actually makes it a little easier as far as the logistics of getting a licence, as I sign the permission form as his 'head-teacher'.

Hope this helps

Sully

[Fruitcake]

I second that - we HEd for a while and it didn't make any difference to being granted a licence. As sullyandmike said, it actually makes it a bit easier as you don't have to get permission from the school!

[tikka]

We have been Home Edders for 8 years and it definitely fits in perfectly with acting commitments!

[Roo]

YAY! Thanks everyone for you replies. Do you all have LEA home visits once a year? It's quite scarey to contemplate doing it as I'm not sure I'll have the patience, but we fancy giving it HE a shot. If you fancy giving me a quick PM with a list of pros and cons for you - I'd be soooooooooooo grateful.

Thanks

[daisydancer]

Hi Roo, Have been Home schooling my children for close to a year now and my D does get the odd TV part and we have never had any problem with getting a license - in fact it often goes smoother with no head teacher to chase for a signature. Like you we were really daunted when we started and had an LEA visit within the first month but it has all worked out really well and we have never once regretted our decision as kids loving learning again and a get a chance to do things and see things they never would while at school. There are downsides of course as there are with everything but there are brilliant upsides too. Really good place to start is the HEAS - home ed advisory service as they have so much useful information to get you going and can put you in touch with other home edders in your area - you'll be amazed at just how many parents out there are doing it- I certainly was. The very best of luck.

[tikka]

If you deregister from school then you can expect yearly contact from the LA, which could be anything from a brief visit or a request for detailed schemes of work! Try contacting other HE families in your area to ask for more info. Best resource is oprobably Education Otherwise (EO), they have HE families in mosts areas who are happy for you to contact them if you want more info.

If you have never been to school then you will probably not be seen by the LA, until they get all the databases (births, doctors, schools etc) connected.

We were seen by the LA years ago after leaving school, then moved house and haven't seen any one from the LA for 6 years!

Good Luck....its the best thing we ever did, DS has had such a happy childhood, been able to follow things he wanted to pursue because they interested him, hasn't had to join a dinner queue or a toilet queue, or wait with his hand up for assistance, still has an enthusiasm for learning despite being a teenager, has never slammed a door in protest, has lots of friends, and has gained enough qualifications to start the college course of his choosing in september.

If you want more info just pm me.