Mum has offered to pay for membership for us for my birthday, so i sent an email to query some of the issues on the membership leaflet for home educating families.
My reply:
There is no legal requirement to register with the local LEA to home
educate. As per the education act 1996
Parental Duties: Section 7
“The parent of every child of compulsory school age shall cause him to
receive efficient full-time education suitable ;
a) to his age, ability, and aptitude, and
b) to any special educational needs he may have,
either by regular attendance at school or otherwise.”
You may wish to confirm this by lookint at
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Schoolslearninganddevelopment/ChoosingASchool/DG_4016124
Dear Victoria,
Thank you for your email.
Before I can provide you with the information you requested, can you please confirm if you are registered with the government as a certified home educator.
Kind regards,
Ste Galloway
Membership Department
—- Original Message —-
My mother plans on paying for us to have home educating membership for the
national trust for our daughter. She is currently 3 1/2.
However before we decide to do this, I am concerend about a few of the
practicalitis of the Educators Membership, and what would be expected of us.
Would I be expected to notify a venue 7 days in advance, of us visiting?
We often only decide on the day that we are going to attend a venue. The
idea of notifying somewhere 7 days in advance is not really practicle, could
you explain why this is necessary? What bonus is there to us as home
educators of you knowing we are coming? My daughters and my health
restrictions as well as weather in wales, kind of dictates our activites
Would I be expected to have insurance?
With thanks
Popularity: 42% [?]
and this is why people join EO. Which does sort of defeat the object of getting places cheaply really. To be honest I’d keep an eye out for good deals on Family Membership so that you have the freedom to come and go as you please.
Yes, I am going to have a better look around for a decent deal, but i am not impressed with this. I dont mind most things, but having to book a week in advance is just not practicle. We passed two national trust properties today, we would have called in to, had we not had to pay for entry. We would have eaten in there cafe’s as we were looking for somewhere to eat as well!
Vicki xx
omg i thought they were quite ‘with it’ too lol
Educational group membership is a LOSS MAKING offer to schools, basically designed to fill properties with kids on the days that the public aren’t going in great numbers. Hence the need to pre-book, so they can turn you away on busy days.
Home educators can take advantage of the offer, but really they want you to come pre-booked in larger groups, which is why you have to be a member of one of the Home Learning networks.
My recommendation is that you buy family membership. Its great value, and you are contributing to a good cause. Plus you can turn up whenever you want.