Reasons for rejecting school

[Ali Admin]

This poll is aimed at parents who have removed their children from school to home educate them or are considering doing so. Please take time to vote for one or more of the options and feel free to add comments on the thread.

[Elaine Kirk]

Great idea

[JWA]

Inflexibility, ridiculous rules and regimentation were the main drivers, resulting in child's failure to thrive as a natural learner.

[raq23]

I always felt uneasy sending my daughter to school. It always felt wrong. Her dad wouldn't hear of home education even though I did suggest it when she was 3 (about 11 years ago). A few years after we had split up and I was in a much more stable relationship I got her out of school. My younger two are going to be home ed. from the start. For me it is mainly philosophical..though she was bullied at school and the NC was so restrictive too, so they were also important reasons to take her out!.

[nifty]

Bullying by other children, followed by bullying by teachers when we complained ('no blame' was the favoured approach). Subsequent failure to keep my child safe in school meant home ed was the only realistic option.

[cezzle]

I voted for 2. We learnt about home education just at the same time my son was told he would have to keep reading the books without words, even though he could read fluently (at 4) as they taught everyone "at the same level".
So I voted discovered home education as an option and testing, homework, inflexibility of curriculum.

Great poll!

[sheilan]

hi
I'd been aware of home-ed as an option from the time my son was born, but life just rumbled on........until he asked to be home educated at the age of 11...so after some months of careful thought we went for it......and are still on this route 18 months later...... he knows he can change his mind if he wishes, but hasn't felt the need.

[Annkrozeika]

Hi, I chose the top 5 answers in the poll as they all applied to my daughter. I suppose the ultimate factor for choosing HE was the attitudes/inaction of the teaching staff. My daughter has decided she's going to high school in just over 18 months time, I so hope she won't experience the same problems that she encountered at primary school...

[Mickey]

My friend and I were bullied at school by the same girl. It was 8 years of hell. My daughters tried school, but things haven't changed much since my school days and it seemed only right that I told them about options in education. So one opted for HE and the other chose to stay, with the knowledge that she can come out if she wants to.

[Zippy Bagpuss]

I haven't voted, as my own children have never gone to school.
My original reason for home educating was returning to this country from Sweden and being disappointed at the quality of education I saw here. But I could equally select all of the reasons in the poll (my reasons for continuing to home educate include academic, social, and philosophical objections to school). I was also myself bullied by children and teachers at school.