Why I decided to home educate our eldest son

I didn’t use to talk about the kids and education as I’d see how well people’s kids were doing at school and that wasn’t the case for my kids. Callum and Kyle have never been academic. They hate school, they’re boys and they can’t keep still! They’ve always wanted to be doing rather than sitting quietly at a desk.

Nearly a year ago Callum was at a fantastic UTC after we moved him from his previous school due to bullying. However he hated it, he wasn’t being taught in a way that resonated with him and he was acting out, both at school and at home. So much so he ended up being in the top 10% of the school for poor behaviour points - and it wasn’t for anything really naughty- just rebellious stuff!! He takes after me! ?? Tell him to do something he’ll tell you to go jump! Tell him something isn’t available to him or he can’t do something and he’s all over it like a rash! He’s more entrepreneurial than I think I’ll ever be!

We were getting to a stage where the UTC thought he would do something to get expelled. The school were amazing, especially the deputy head - I haven’t come across anyone like him in a school ever! I knew we had to do something! I wasn’t going to watch him go down a crazy path. At times I was so tempted to get him diagnosed to keep him in school - but I think diagnosing children is counter intuitive. I think it causes more harm than good in a lot of cases. I also think children and over diagnosed!

Anyway we made the decision to pull him out of school and home school him. It is the best and most important decision I’ve made in my entire life! He’s being working with the most amazing teacher who is also a therapist since 3 times a week and he’s in now the middle of taking his Level 1 BTEC in English and Maths so he can pass his GCSEs.

If I’d left him it is incredibly likely he would have failed his GCSEs and I wasn’t going to stand by and have a 16 year old be taught that they are a failure!

I have this deep down feeling that I want to make a different to the education system. We’re setting so many of our children up to fail as they aren’t being taught in the way that’s right for them! And we wonder why so many people have mental health issues in this country! I wasn’t going to let that happen!

I suppose the purpose of this post is to say don’t give up, don’t do things because that’s what society says is the way things should be done, do what you feel is right for you and your family! There is always a way! A year ago a didn’t know where we would get the money to effectively privately educate our child but we found it! And as soon as Callum stops with his education, I fully intend to do the same with Kyle. There’s always a way! Just remember that.