| 
  • If you are citizen of an European Union member nation, you may not use this service unless you are at least 16 years old.

  • You already know Dokkio is an AI-powered assistant to organize & manage your digital files & messages. Very soon, Dokkio will support Outlook as well as One Drive. Check it out today!

View
 

News

Page history last edited by starkfamily1@... 11 years, 6 months ago

News

 

this page is for latest news, updates, alerts and links to issues:

 

contents:

    1. Hands up for Home Ed (Wales)
    2. Home Education Ruled Illegal
    3. CME2010
    4. Machinations and Networking
    5. Lies and deceit infect the Met? Or were the CRAM creators conned?
    6. Nazi education law backed by Ofsted:
    7. All Washed up!
    8. Home Education Database
    9. Government letters about Badman review
    10. EHE team wins Technical Design award at UK FLL robotics competition
    11. CSFBill Second Reading
    12. Open Letter to Parliament
    13. Declaration to Parliament:
    14. International Support:
      1. and more: DCSF promise
    15. AHEd Respond to Consultation on Registration and Monitoring Oct 2009
    16. Children's Liberation Front -HE children sing re Badman!
    17. BE A PART OF HE-ART! 
    18. SCOTS CHARITY ENQUIRIES "SKYROCKET" AS ENGLISH HOME EDUCATORS HEAD FOR THE HIGHLANDS
    19. Complaint to UK Statistics Authority
    20. Select Committee Inquiry
    21. AHEd appeal to BRE - review and consultation.
    22. Archbishops of York and Canterbury
    23. AHEd Briefing Paper
    24. Child Abuse.
    25. Don't Miss these Blogs!
    26. Something Rotten Stalking the Corridors of Power...
    27. Home Education Review Report Plus
    28. Child Protection
    29. What do we want from LAs?
    30. Parents Declaration:
    31. AHED Dossier sent to Badman Review:
    32. Badman Review Poll:
    33. NSPCC abuse
    34. Government Review of Home Education January 2009
    35. Identifying children not receiving a suitable education.
    36. Truancy - whose guidelines?
    37. Free Film Showings
    38. 20%Discount - JTG's new book!
    39. Lobby a Lord!
    40. How Children Learn at Home
    41. John Taylor Gatto!
    42. Conference Web Site:
    43. Join our campaign!
    44. Every Single Parent Matters - press release
    45. Lone Parents:
    46. Repressive new moves - Isle of Man:
    47. Call for monitoring - Wales:
    48. Trouble with NT education memberships:
    49. John Taylor Gatto at Schoolhouse conference -
    50. Welfare Reform - lone parents update:
    51. Tech HEds team going to Japan!
    52. Home Educators included in NICE guidance
    53. Your LA
    54. LA responses to guidelines consultation
    55. HE children subject to CAF?
    56. EHE Guidelines Found Wanting
    57. Innuendo and rumour re EHE
      1. Safe in school?
    58. Press Releases
    59. Politicians and Parties...
    60. Access to NHS benefits
    61. Threat to legal framework

 

 

Hands up for Home Ed (Wales)

on facebook to combat the Welsh Assembly Consultation 2012 to bring in Badmanesque monitoring and forced registration practices only a couple of years after their defeat in England and Wales. (Education is now devolved to the Assembly, but they are like a dog with a bone on this one!)

 https://www.facebook.com/events/282535531847304/

  

Home Education Ruled Illegal

 

The hostile state take over of childhood, education and family responsibility continues to spread through European states following a ruling in Spain during which it has been stated that home schooling is not a 

right and children must go to school.

http://thereader.es/en/spain-news-stories/5514-home-schooling-is-not-legal-rules-constitutional-court.html 

 

CME2010

 

AHEd write (Nov 2010) to Education Minsiter, Mr Gove MP, to ask him to sort out the chaos caused by Section 436a of the Education Act 1996 - he's being tardy with a response - see what you could do to help!

 

Machinations and Networking

Saturday, 25 September 2010

See the Freedom in Education blog for news and comment on more behind the scenes networking by our old enemies in the department for education:

"Information released under the FOI Act show that much of what the CSF Bill wanted to implement was already in the pipeline for us as far back as 2006, with Badman just being the latest in a long line of attempts to bring in the extra powers that many LAs have sought for years. Will the civil servants who have plotted and schemed for all these years suddenly have had a moment of enlightenment with the change of government I wonder? I find this rather unlikely, especially when their colleagues on the ground are pushing for more power. Old habits die hard, and people with power who are defeated often become all the more determined to win."

 

Lies and deceit infect the Met? Or were the CRAM creators conned?

Ali exposes the interests behind faulty police data identifying home education as a high risk for child abuse. "Why “home educated” and “privately fostered” should both be highlighted in red is not entirely clear, but it would suggest to the lay observer that they must both be activities which are near the top of the hit list for planned annihilation by the state." Read the full blog on Home Ed Forums.

 

Nazi education law backed by Ofsted:

Will they never let up? Attempted revival of the defeated Badman recommendations. Response by Graham Stuart MP - new chair of the education select committee.

 

All Washed up!

Balls Bill Shrunk in the Wash Up - blog post  comment on the decimation of the CSF Bill. But in a letter to Micheal Gove, Ed stamps his feet and vows he will return another day to get his way! Meanwhile home educators hold a Jumping for Joy celebration. Add you pics here.

 

Home Education Database

Service users give feeback on local authorities services, policies and personnel. The site currently holds information on 39 Local Authorities and 52 Local Authority staff. Search for your area or add your own information.

 

Government letters about Badman review

The government is sending out the same letter to the many communications that home educators have sent to ministers directly or via their MPs. It is breathtaking in its arrogant dismissal of home educators' opinions and concerns. In it they insist that Home Education will not change, registration is not licensing and it is not about safeguarding. Watch this space...

 

EHE team wins Technical Design award at UK FLL robotics competition

The Tech HEds won the Technical Design award at the UK final at Loughborough University on 23 January 2010 and has been invited to compete in the international competition in Istanbul from 2224 April 2010.

 

Read more and see photographs

 

 

CSFBill Second Reading

LibDems call for the house to refuse to give the bill a second reading  partly because, "its proposals for the regulation of home education introduce powers which are excessive and risk undermining key freedoms for home educators." 

 

Open Letter to Parliament

Letter published in the Guardian Newspaper, calling for the withdrawal of section 26 from the Children Schools and Families Bill, receiving its second reading 11.01.10. Over 1,000 signatures.

 

Declaration to Parliament:

 

Following the Queen's speech setting out the government's intention to introduce intrusive legislation against traditional freedoms for parents who choose to educate their own children in the home, regardless of the results of the inquiry and consultation which have not yet been reached, a protest declaration of non co-operation with new laws based on the badman review is doing the rounds. Make your protest felt by sending a copy of this declaration to your MP.

 

International Support:

 

Canada ... here is an excerpt from the excellent Argument Against the Regulation and Monitoring of Home-based Education

 

"The right of parents, as protected by the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to choose the education that shall be given to their children must be respected. The principle of innocent until proven guilty must be respected. The civil rights of families, and the privacy of the family home, must be respected. The ample child protection legislation that is already in place should be trusted. Government should take action to ensure that the existing child protection systems are working properly.

 

Home-educating families must be allowed to exercise their right to take complete responsibility for the education of their children in peace. A hostile educational establishment, which has little comprehension of this proven educational alternative, must not be permitted to interfere in the everyday lives of law-abiding citizens. The original European law against home education was established in Nazi Germany. Free societies allow dissent and creative thought, and do not attempt to control families’ education choices for their members."

 

These sentiments have the full support of AHEd! 

 

and more: DCSF promise

 

DCSF reply to Canadian home school Dad re the select committee report and consultation responses influencing their actions. This should take some time to consider since they must wait for the select committee and analyse thousands of responses to the consultation. So, will the Queen's speech in November still include threats to impose intrusive regulation upon us? 

 

AHEd Respond to Consultation on Registration and Monitoring Oct 2009

 

AHEd submitted their response to this public consultation on 18th October 2009

 

Children's Liberation Front -HE children sing re Badman!

"Brick in the Wall" on youtube! Also Myra on facebook, won't back down!

 

BE A PART OF HE-ART! 

National project to bring together artwork by home educated children to be exhibited in the autumn. The project will give home educated children an opportunity to respond to the Badman review with the theme 'why I love home ed'.

No restrictions on media or size, just like their imagination there is no limit!

 

  • Get creative, and get your artwork to us by the closing date of 25th September

     

  • Get your local group to run a session where everyone can create an artwork to submit.

     

  • Spread the word! Not everyone is online, or goes to local groups, so tell all the home educating families you know.

An information flyer can be downloaded here or obtained by emailing HE-ART.

 

SCOTS CHARITY ENQUIRIES "SKYROCKET" AS ENGLISH HOME EDUCATORS HEAD FOR THE HIGHLANDS

 

England's loss will be Scotland's gain, says Schoolhouse!

While the summer holiday period is usually less busy for the charity, enquiries from England are said to have "skyrocketed" since the report was published in June and its controversial proposals were accepted in full by English Children's Minister Ed Balls..... We are not only being asked about the law relating to home education in Scotland, but about the political climate, transport links, housing, employment and business opportunities by parents who are making plans to move to Scotland as the direct result of stigmatisation of home educators by the UK Government

 

Complaint to UK Statistics Authority

 

press statements and the ‘Annex’ released in answer to an FOI request re the Badman review "breach the Code of Practice for Official Statistics, for sound methods and assured quality as well as frankness and accessibility, and the Civil Service Code" says a home educator in a complaint to the statistics authority. 

 

Select Committee Inquiry

 

Home ed Forums report: Review Fiasco Prompts Inquiry 

 

AHED page information (this page will also include the members' submission to the Inquiry in due course.)

 

AHEd appeal to BRE - review and consultation.

 

AHEd members appeal to the better regulation executive about the injustice of the review and consultation, including why this consultation is inappropriate and should be withdrawn according to BRE rules. The associated press release is also in the Badman Review file.

 

Archbishops of York and Canterbury

 

AHEd members have written to the Archbishops to clarify their position re home education following Mr Badman's misuse of their submission to the review to give a false impression of the Anglican Church view.

 

AHEd Briefing Paper

 

AHEd members have produced a briefing paper which summarises our situation with reference to government actions up to this review and consultation. It addresses some of the main issues used against us and supports our argument for the legislative and regulatory status quo. Please use this freely to offer to your MPs and other means to support our cause. We hope to have this available in pdf shortly.

 

Child Abuse.

 

Amid the continued campaign to falsely smear home educating families as a high risk area for child abuse for political reasons, more tragic stories of harm to children in state institutions hit the news with shocking regularity, indicating the scale of failure to protect children in the hands of the state. These storied include the nursery teacher who has been charged with sexually abusing babies and young children in her "care" causing one HE parent to comment, 

 

"We are demanding an urgent review of the teaching profession to examine whether it is being used in some cases as a cover for abuse.

"Abusive teachers are falling through the net, despite compulsory registration with the GTC and inadequate CRB checks, so parents should be given access to teachers' homes and computers to check for any signs of dodgy activity." 

 

These terrible accounts have been added to our page Children at Risk which also catalogues some of the history of the campaign to blacken home educators as potential child abusers.

 

Don't Miss these Blogs!

Going Viral - (catching on all over the place!)

Badders Guide to Home Education in which Badders (expert) records his thoughts and edicts on the evils of home education.

Stephen Heppell - Captain of the Digital Revolution; Friend to the Experts; Saviour of Home Educators - Cap'n Heppell's masterful musings on your little lives... (All according to someone else)

 

Something Rotten Stalking the Corridors of Power...

Child abuse issues and Lord Laming, especially relevant as the party currently in power attacks the integrity of every parent and threatens the security of every family home. 

 

Home Education Review Report Plus

links to the report and government response accepting all recommendations, plus the consultation on legal and regulatory change - all released on the same day.

 

Child Protection

"Say No to the Lowest Common Denomintor Approach" - great blog piece touching on child protection and the review into home education. 

 

What do we want from LAs?

AHEd has posted the completed document to the review..

 

Parents Declaration:

See the Parents Declaration  promoting traditional freedoms, parental right to parent their own children and demanding the state stay within the bounds of current laws. Support the Declaration from this page.

 

AHED Dossier sent to Badman Review:

 

AHEd has written to Mr Graham Badman calling for the review to be halted and outlining why this should be. The letter contained a number of links and attachments comprising the AHEd dossier.

 

Badman Review Poll:

New Poll. How confident are you that the 'independent' review of elective home

education in England will be conducted fairly and impartially?

 

NSPCC abuse

 

Following outragious comments from a representative of the NSPCC against home educating families, AHEd writes to complain The Victoria Climbie foundation also complains that Victoria Climbie was "neither home educated nor hidden," as claimed by Vijay Patel of the NSPCC, but was another child who was known about but failed by the system.

 

Government Review of Home Education January 2009

 

In January 2009 the government announced a wide ranging review of home education which has been inspired by claims that home education may be used as a cover for child abuse, domestic servitude, sexual expolitation or forced marriage.

 

AHEd issued a press release announcing disgust at this unwarranted attack on home education.

 

Part of the review was a consultation to which AHEd members made a submission.

 

We were however told by DCSF that it is not really a consultation, just part of a wider review and is therefore not subject to the rules and regulations of the Better Regulation Executive pertaining to public consultations. This means that the time limit for responding was only five weeks instead of the usual twelve and that the Department had no obligation and took no steps, to reach the main stakeholders - home educators, other than e-mailing a few national home education groups and despite having access to hundreds of contact details from other recent consultations. It was also only accessible online and only accepted electronically.

 

There is an online Downing Street petition that people can sign if they object to this review. Any person who has their own e-mail address can sign. AHEd members encourage everyone to sign and to ask their friends and family if they will support our call.

 

New anthem for home educators? 

 

Complaint re scandalous public comments from NSPCC.

 

See this brilliant you tube animation by some home educated children.

 

Identifying children not receiving a suitable education.

 

  1. AHEd's response to the DCSF Consultation (Revised Statutory guidance for local authorities in England to identify children not receving a suitable education), submitted October 2008
  2. Our page giving background to this consultation  begun August 2008. Many individual home educators responded to the consultation in order to defend our right to the presumption of innocence.

 

Truancy - whose guidelines?

 

DCSF is in the habit of recommending their own frequently reworked guidance to local authorities on truancy sweeps and favoring their collections of "best practise." However, the power to remove truants is carried out under the Crime and Disorder Act, from the Home Office. Home Office guidance may prove elusive due to being moved around frequently. Anyone would think someone wanted to hide it!!! We have copied the full text of this guidance on the truancy patrol pages, for your convenience. See table of contents for home office item. Note paragraphs 4.20 and 4.21.

 

Free Film Showings

 

You can  book free film showings for home education groups during the national film week. The website has a range of downloadable support materials: http://www.nsfw.org/

 

 

The focus of National Schools Film Week in 2008 is Discovering Cultures, a theme relevant to both primary and secondary school children and one that encompasses some hard hitting issues.

 

NSFW programmed a range of current and forthcoming films to address issues such as the environment, social and racial injustice, bullying, politics and − more broadly − the world young people young people currently inhabit shown from a variety of different perspectives.

 

20%Discount - JTG's new book!

 

Roll up! Get your 20% discount on John Taylor Gatto's new book, due out in October "Weapons of Mass Instruction!" (A Schoolteacher's Journey Through the Dark World of Compulsory Schooling.)

 

Of special interest to home educators is John Taylor Gatto's new book, whether you come to hear the man speak at the Schoolhouse Conference or, sadly, could not; you can read John Taylor Gatto’s "Weapons of Mass Instruction" focusing on mechanisms of familiar schooling which cripple imagination, discourage critical thinking, and create a false view of learning as a by-product of rote-memorization drills. Gatto’s earlier book, "Dumbing Us Down," put the now-famous expression of the title in common use worldwide. "Weapons of Mass Instruction" promises to add another chilling metaphor to the brief against schooling.

 

Pre-order Weapons of Mass Instruction on-line for 20% discount at www.newsociety.com

(249 words) 160 pages / 6" x 9"

Education Pb ISBN 978-0-86571-631-5

 

Lobby a Lord!

 

Since our "Every Single Parent Counts" Lone parent post card campaign, the progress of the regulations by statutory instrument has been slowed and the instrument did not appear in either house of parliament before the summer recess as expected. We expect to see the regulations presented in the next session. In the meantime, please take  advantage of this time to raise our concerns further with our legislators by taking some time to lobby a Lord.

 

How Children Learn at Home

 

A second edition of the book "How Children Learn at Home" by Alan Thomas and Harriet Pattison has been published. ( £16.99) "A fascinating insight into how informal learning works, which challenges the fundamental assumptions about the nature of teaching." Reviewed and for sale via Guardian newspaper.

 

John Taylor Gatto!

 

is coming to Scotland soon - Don't miss the Schoolhouse "Learning Without Limits" Conference, Arbroath 2008, to celebrate International Freedom in Education Day!

 

Schoolhouse Convenor, Alison Preuss, says, "John Gatto is very much looking forward to his visit to Scotland and we want to make sure he has a warm welcome from the HE community, so do come along if you can and join us in asserting our right to freedom in education!"

 

Here are some pages from the last time JTG visited for the Home Education Conference, London 1999 to whet your appetite:

 

Opening Address to conference "The fourth purpose"

Q&A session

 

Impromptu Closing Address

 

Conference Web Site:

 

The Schoolhouse and Learning Without Limits websites have now been updated with details of the conference and activity programmes for our September event. Travel, accommodation and other background information is also available for those interested in attending.

 

Booking forms can be downloaded from either site:

http://www.schoolhouse.org.uk/conference/index.html

http://www.learningwithoutlimits.org.uk

 

 

 

Join our campaign!

 

June 1st 2008 - Lone Parents lobby postcard campaign to defeat the regulations that will see lone parents forced to work or face benefit cuts!

 

Every Single Parent Matters - press release

Joint press release from AHEd and Schoolhouse.  1st June 2008

 

Lone Parents:

 

Continuing the long saga that began with our Letter to John Hutton in which we are reassured that the government has no intention of forcing lone parents to work or face benefit cuts, we begin a new page of news about how the government continue with their intention to force lone parents to work or face benefit cuts! Beginning with a joint press release from AHEd and Schoolhouse.

 

 

Repressive new moves - Isle of Man:

 

April 08: An appeal from the Isle of Man has alerted us to repressive proposals to bring in a draconian system of registration and monitoring of home education. What can Islanders do? Send suggestions and support, and watch this page! AHEd response to IOM consultation posted 16.05.08

 

Call for monitoring - Wales:

 

April 08 again: The Vale of Glamorgan has called issued the usual misinformation and called for more rigorous monitoring of home education. To see their call and the reply from AHEd man in Wales, see the Vale of Glamorgan page. More to follow...

 

Trouble with NT education memberships:

 

It seems from time to time home educators have trouble with the conditions for education group membership of the National Trust  - latest, a new requirement to purchase public liability insurance!

 

 

John Taylor Gatto at Schoolhouse conference -

 

Schoolhouse has announced an exciting conference for 2008 to celebrate international freedom in education day with the keynote speaker, John Taylor Gatto. See the Scotland page. This conference is going to be well worth attending for the whole family.

 

 

Welfare Reform - lone parents update:

 

Feb 2008...

Following the In Work Better Off Consultation, we are now hearing reports from lone parents who educate their own children aged 12+ at home who are being told in their work focussed interviews that by October 2008 they must be available to work and the children must be enroled in schools or they will lose benefits .... see further info and letter to Stephen Timms MP

 

March 2008 ...

another letter; Ed Balls this time following further member discussions and contact with One Parent Families. March update.

 

 

Tech HEds team going to Japan!

 

Two teams of home-educated young people participated in the UK final of the FIRST LEGO League Robotics competition in Birmingham. The Tech HEds team came second overall and is now on it's way to Japan to participate in the Open Asia Championship in Tokyo ....

 

 

Home Educators included in NICE guidance

 

January 2008 ... ...

 

AHEd has written to the project co-ordinator of the NICE guidance on 'School, college and community-based personal, social and health education focusing on sex and relationships and alcohol education' which has now included home educated children in the scope of its guidance. Consultations will be carried out in 2008/9 and the final guidance is due to be published in September 2009.

 

We have received a report that some local authorities have tried to insist on giving 'puberty talks' to home educated children and it is not difficult to envisage some using this proposed guidance to put pressure on home educating parents to deliver a type of sex education they are not comfortable with, or to insist that all home

educated children attend sessions arranged by the local authority. This guidance could be used to legitimise an intrusive approach in some areas.

 

Your LA

 

To see or add news, information and comment related to your local authority look for the entry in the Local Authority list index for relevant page links.

 

LA responses to guidelines consultation

 

To read LA responses (or hunt out your LA's response) to the DCSF consultation on EHE guidelines to local authorities see LA responses to Guidelines consultation

 

 

 

HE children subject to CAF?

Jan 2008

 

Bromley Protocol For Safeguarding Children In HE illegally regulates for the e-caf of all home educated children as Bromley decided that elective home education is a prima facae case of a child in need. What we need is DCSF guidelines stating that there is no causal link to welfare concerns where a family choose elective home education!

 

New page with info and links re CAF

 

EHE Guidelines Found Wanting

 

January 2008

 

AHEd members write to the ministerial team at DCSF to warn them that the guidelines are in contention and demanding further consultation. See AHEd Guidelines Letter

 

November 2007

 

Home Educators response. Add your comments on the DCSF elective home education guidelines to local authorities here!

 

Innuendo and rumour re EHE

 

raised against Home Educators by public authorities: http://ahed.pbwiki.com/London+Safeguarding+Network

 

Safe in school?

 

see our page: Children at Risk in Schools

 

 

Press Releases

ongoing...

 

Keep up with AHEd AHEd Press Releases

 

Press releases are on this page with a table of contents.

 

Politicians and Parties...

 

Prime Minister Statement (Blair)

 

... From the Prime Ministers Office ... 20th March 2007... "The Government respects the rights of parents who choose to educate their children at home... Local authorities have a limited scope for intervention if it appears to them that a child in their area is not receiving a suitable education... This should be done sensitively ... home educators do not have to follow the National Curriculum and have a broad discretion as to how and when education takes place." ... For full information see: Petition to the Prime Minister.

 

Prime Minister Statement (Brown)

 

AHEd has written (28.06.07)to Gordon Brown. We hope he will endorse the statement of Tony Blair.

 

 

Conservative Party Statement

 

14.06.07 "We believe that parents should be free to choose the best education for their children, including home education, and that the Government should make sure that all the options are able to work properly" (Office of David Willets)For the full comment see this letter.

 

Liberal Democrat Statement

 

We are still awaiting a reply from the Liberal Democrats.

 

  

Access to NHS benefits

 

July 2007: in their response to the consultation on home education guidelines to local authorities, North Yorkshire authority ask, what about the rights of home educated children in education, aged 16+ to EMA and national health service benefits? (Question 8.)

 

... NHS: Support from Norman Lamb(lib-dems) here.

 

"I would share your concern that home educated children between the ages of 16 and 18 are being discriminated against unecessarily and unfairly." (NHS help for young people in further education.)

 

 

...NHS: Support from John Baron (Cons) here.

 

"We intend to ask Parliamentary questions on this subject and hope to reply soon. However, it is my understanding that Conservatives would not discriminate against children in full-time education at home for the purpose of entitlements to the NHS."

 

Threat to legal framework

 

... Consultations: Elaine Haste writes, "The Department has recently decided not to pursue any changes to monitoring arrangements. Instead we are consulting on draft guidelines for LAs" ... Helen White (DfES) writes, "The publication of this consultation follows discussions with several groups representing home educators and with local authorities. Following these discussions it has been decided not to propose any changes to monitoring arrangements or legislation." Since the AHEd complaint argued that they should drop changes to the legal framework and reconsult on guidelines, we are pleased to see the result we asked for. We recognise the small part played by the Tony Blair, (PM,) who keeps supporting the rights of parents in public. (See Ruth Kelly fiasco, and the petition to the prime minister.)

 

... Consultation: How serious are the DfES/DCSF about dropping changes to the legal framework and consulting properly with home educators? See the results of an FOI request for internal and external mails about this at the department to decide what you think.

 

 

 

 

The Tech HEds won the Technical Design award at the UK final at Loughborough University on 23 January 2010 and has been invited to compete in the international competition in Istanbul from 2224 April 2010.

Read more and see photographs

Comments (0)

You don't have permission to comment on this page.