The Home Tuition Support Service woman came - she seemed very nice, very positive about HE, spent most of the 45 minutes or so telling us about what she does, and how many lovely HE families there are around that she meets or hears of and what a wonderful experience and even 'lifestyle choice' it can be. I don't think she has had so much experience/understanding of the real autonomous deal, but she seemed very happy not to worry about the national curriculum etc. and to recognize the potential advantages of HE, including 'freedom', which she mentioned specifically.
For those who have asked/wondered, the department was informed of our existence by our Health Visitor, who is lovely and I'm sure meant extremely well, probably expecting that the department would be able to give us help and information - I suppose she didn't realize that we have the internet for that!
So the visit went off very smoothly, she took a few notes which I made sure I had a look at before she left and they were very brief - 'autonomous learning... yoga... regular contact with other families...' that kind of thing. She emphasized that we were not obliged to let her into our home and various other legal niceties of that ilk. She and her colleagues had had a training day about Home Ed, 3 weeks before, held by a localish Home Edding couple. She was quite enthusiastic about that.
She didn't ask to see anything F had done (I had things I could have shown her, but didn't offer, either), nor did she initiate any conversation (subliminal testing-type or other) with F, who wandered in and out for the duration. She did say at the end that she would send F a postcard, if she didn't mind, and also that she might drop off a pumpkin plant if we wanted one.
So that was that, and if nothing else, it was an excuse to sort out some recycling in the interests of living-room surface clearance, so good!
Since then, F and I have popped over to local shop (curry tonight!) and enjoyed a spooky forest game on the way there and back, and she has been playing The Sims 2 again - we played 2-player for a while, which we'll definitely do again, even though our characters spent a lot of time chasing each other round the garden and changing clothes. Now she is playing marble blast or whatever it is. She spent some time earlier playing imagination games in her room too.
F has her hair in plaits for the first time and is very much enjoying the novelty at the moment. Perhaps it will stop it from going all clumpy...
I am now back working after my lovely 5 days off. But easing into it fairly gently, having said 'no' to 2 job offers already today, and postponed another one till next week. Still leaves 2 smallish but time-consuming items though.
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8 comments:
Glad it went well for you. No mention of return visit/ written report or anything then?
Certainly sounds like one of the more positive visits I've heard about.:-)
She said 'see you in 2007' as she left, which we would be fine with, although nearer the time we might decide just to send a summary or something.
It was very undemanding. Maybe she's softening us up while F is not yet official?
LOL Fat dreads or Phat dreddz? Or some other cool spelling I wouldn't know cos I'm too old.
I've been told before that I'm far too nice, I wonder if I am.
*skips into techni-coloured distance with animated rabbits and bluebirds, whistling annoyingly*
Sounds good! I am still unknown, but that will change in September when we start flexi-schooling.
we had plaits today but it was to hide the pre-dread state of hair and was chosen over brushing.
I have to say you have never particularly struck me as too nice ;-) but hey what do I know, you don't eat animals after all!
Glad it went ok. I think a nice HV should have given you the contact details of the service and not your details to them! It is a bit of pain in the do da to be known if you can get away with not being known. Mind you, we've had no trouble and have the LEA happily accepting a report now.
Half brushed hair is often P's style these days - literally half her head... A scrappy ponytail covers a multitude of tangles.
we still seem to be unknown, although given that they are now both at school two days a week, think anyone enquiring would be sent off with a flea in their ear quite rapidly.
Can't believe they bothered to visit someone with a child under the age!
Ali, that woman is known for her niceness! She always sends the postcards and does lots to help and encourage. She is far from green on the subject of HE! We haven't any nasty ones atm :-)
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